The Enemy of My Enemy
by LadyLasa
Summary: As the team continues their road trip, they stop in Amity Park. Two familiar villains team up, but can both teams look past their mutual suspicion for their own survival? Alien Force/Danny Phantom crossover. Full summary inside. "Encounters Series"
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I own neither Danny Phantom nor Ben 10: Alien Force. I am receiving no profit from this story. Karian and any Zalyndrya character (including the realm itself) are mine and may not be used without permission.**_

**Summary: This is the third installment of my Encounters Series. While Ben, Gwen, Kevin, and Karian are traveling across the country, their next stop is Amity Park. Assuming the reports of ghost attacks to be alien activity, the team decides to investigate. When they encounter the local team of ghost hunters, including one half-ghost, they realize that their investigation might not go as smoothly as planned. Interactions between the two teams are strained, but soon enough they might have to put their differences aside to face down the enemies who have formed their own alliance.**

**A/N: A few notes to prevent any confusion... As for the timeline, this takes place in the summer after freshman year for both groups. For the Danny Phantom line, I've chosen to disregard Phantom Planet. For the group from Ben 10: Alien Force, it was established in the first story that their hometown is located in California. As mentioned above, this is the third installment in an ongoing fanfiction series. I recommend reading the previous two stories ("Alien, Demon, or Undead?" and "Detour") first. However, if you'd rather just start with this one, I'm including a recap of what has happened so far. If you have read them, feel free to scroll down to the start of Chapter One.**

**Another thing I feel the need to mention is the similarities between Karian and Phantom. Just a little bit of background here, I came up with Karian's twin sister about fifteen years ago when I started playing D&D (yes, I'm old and yes, I'm a nerd). A couple of years afterward, I gave her a brother to help flesh out her background story. The physical similarities between them and Phantom are completely coincidental. However, it is something that I can play off of during the story. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to send me a PM.**

**_The story so far..._**

In "**Alien, Demon, or Undead?**", Ben, Gwen, and Kevin encountered a pair of strangers who were battling with a Highbreed outside of a two-story house in the middle of the desert. To their surprise, the husband-and-wife team defeated the Highbreed and several dozen DNAliens single-handedly. After strained introductions, the Konistavs invited the three teenagers inside.

While waiting for the pair to clean up from the battle, Kevin discovered several bottles of blood inside the refrigerator. When their hosts returned, they confirmed that they were both vampires from a different world called Zalyndrya. They assured the team that they had no intentions of causing trouble, and were instead investigating the alien activity in the area. It was then revealed that they had a foster-daughter who was living in Los Angeles.

During the course of the next few days, Ben tried to learn more about them despite Gwen's reservations and Kevin's blatant mistrust. A new girl at his school was revealed to actually be an elf from the other realm whose human husband was like a brother to another newcomer to the visitor's house. Karian was introduced, although he remained aloof at the time, and it was explained that although he was a vampire as well, his twin sister was the Konistavs' human foster daughter. As more and more of the aliens' plans were discovered, the team came to the realization that their best chance for success in preventing a disastrous invasion would be to work with the Konsitavs and their associates from Zalyndrya.

Kevin still had his doubts and decided to meet with them on his own. When he arrived, he learned that the Konistavs had brought in their Royal Guard to assist in the battle and he had walked right into the middle of a war meeting. Afterwards, Lady Konistav took him on a walk outside and he voiced his concerns. It was then revealed that after an encounter with the DNAliens in which Ben and Karian fought side by side, the latter had developed strong feelings for the former. Kevin, of course found this hilarious, but his humor was tempered by the realization that he wouldn't be able to reveal that information to his friend.

Shortly thereafter, the team, along with the visitors from the other realm, launched their assault on Los Soledad. While the aliens were defeated, the Zalyndryans suffered their own losses. The elf's husband was killed along with several members of the Royal Guard. Karian had been incapacitated and buried under a collapsed building. When Ben revived him, they had both been previously wounded and the vampire failed to recognize him. Instead, he saw his rescuer as the closest source of nourishment and nearly killed him.

While Ben was in the hospital, the Omnitrix helped replenish the blood he had lost. Kevin was furious at Karian, but Gwen recalled the advice that the Konistavs had given regarding safety measures when dealing with a wounded vampire. Once Ben was released, he used the few remaining hours before sunrise to visit the house in the desert. He found Karian sitting on the roof, contemplating suicide as the only means to deal with his tortured past and the recent events. Ben managed to talk him out of it and later brought the idea of Karian joining the team to Gwen and Kevin. After debating the issue, they agreed, but wanted to remain cautious.

Several months passed without incident. Karian remained in California so that he could be in close proximity to both his newfound friends and his sister. Once school was out, the team decided that another road trip would be in order and began preparing for departure from Bellwood.

"**Detour**" picked up the story about a month into their journey. At this point, they were traveling through New Jersey on their way to New York City. Kevin was experiences symptoms of illness and lost consciousness while he was pulling their vehicle over onto the shoulder of the road, causing them to crash into a tree.

The added technology and other features of the bus notified emergency services and they were transported to Princeton Plainsboro Hospital. To avoid questions by the paramedics, Karian feigned death while the ambulance transported Gwen, Ben, and Kevin. The cousins were treated for minor injuries in the ER, but Kevin's condition deteriorated and he was admitted to the hospital. Over the course of the next few days, Ben helped Karian sneak out of the morgue while Dr. House and his team worked diligently on finding a diagnosis for their latest patient's malady. Their job was made all the more difficult by Kevin's refusal to allow them to administer any tests.

As his condition worsened, and the hospital administration was forced to deal with the issue of a body disappearing from their morgue, several things came to light. A select few doctors learned that the three teenagers were all at least part alien and that their other companion was a vampire. Once Kevin lost consciousness, his ability to control his powers also began to wane and he began to revert into the form he had once been known as; Kevin 11.

In addition to the problems caused by those revelations, Karian's supply of stored blood was depleted and they discovered that the hospital had no one else of his kind on their payroll. When he told Ben that he would have to hunt, the latter argued with him and finally convinced the vampire to use him instead by finally realizing and admitting his own feelings.

A few theories were presented by Ben, Gwen, and Karian regarding Kevin's illness while the doctors discovered spore-like growths in his lungs and heart. A sample of a substance from the other realm was brought in for examination and one of the ingredients was found to be consistent with the growths. However, while it was responsive to the theorized treatment, the medicine had no effect on Kevin. House realized that Kevin's ability was causing his body to directly absorb the drug and preventing it from reaching the places where it was needed.

Surgery was then the only option, but at that point, Kevin's regression was complete. It was a shocked Dr. Chase who had to operate on him, but they managed to neutralize the spores and remove them. Once they were sure Kevin would be alright, and he had regained control of his powers, he was released from the hospital and the team continued their summer road trip, departing from New Jersey as soon as possible.

_Which brings us to the next story in the Encounters Series..._

**Chapter One**

Green fields spread out in both directions while the road stretched on ahead. The black tour bus continued forward at a steady sixty-five miles per hour as the sun dipped below the horizon. Green eyes glanced down at the road atlas as slender fingers flew across the keyboard of a laptop.

"What's taking so long?" Kevin asked, briefly pulling his gaze from the road to look in the rear-view mirror. "It shouldn't be that hard to find out where the next town is."

"I'm working on it," Gwen replied patiently. She read the information on the screen and consulted the atlas again before continuing. "I found something, but it's not listed on the atlas. There are a lot of listings online for it, though."

"Well, let's hear it."

"There's a little town about five miles further," she began. "It's right near the border of Wisconsin. They have it listed as Amity Park and, apparently, the locals are claiming to have problems with ghost attacks."

"Probably some gimmick to bring in tourists," he remarked. "Everyone knows ghosts ain't real."

"Just like magic isn't real?" she countered with a slight smile.

"Hey, you agreed with me when you found out your grandma was an Anodyte."

"And then the people from Zalyndrya showed up," she reminded.

"Alright," he conceded. "But I'm still putting my money on alien activity on this one."

"That's all the more reason to check it out," Ben stated, not even looking up from his video game. "Even if it's just a tourist attraction, it sounds like it'd be an interesting place to see. Besides, what aliens do we know of that have ghost-like qualities?"

"Big Chill for starters," Gwen replied. "Or Ghostfreak. I don't know about this one, though. I found a few pictures and none of these 'ghosts' look anything like either species of alien."

"Perhaps there is a gateway to the realm of spirits in this little town," Karian remarked, leaning in the doorway that separated the sleeping compartment from the rest of the vehicle.

"Don't tell me you actually believe in that crap," Kevin scoffed.

"You deny that some can survive after death?" he countered, a white eyebrow arching as a smirk danced across his lips. "How would you explain my presence then?"

"That's different."

"Is it really?"

"You don't go floating through walls and yelling 'Boo' at people," he stated. "You just bite them and drink their blood."

"So eloquently put..."

"Do you two have to start every night like this?" Gwen interrupted. "Just once, it would be nice if we could have an evening where you didn't bicker like a pair of cheerleaders."

"Point taken," Karian replied, offering a slight nod of deference.

Peace returned to the interior of the bus as Kevin focused his attention on the road. Gwen continued to research their next destination while Karian retrieved a dark plastic bottle from the refrigerator. He moved to sit beside Ben, twisting the lid off of the bottle before draping an arm around his shoulders.

"New game?" he asked.

"Not really," Ben replied. "I just haven't played it in a while. It has a multi-player mode if you want to jump in."

"I suppose I could give it a try," he said with a hint of a smile.

*****

"That was definitely the best 'Dead Teacher' yet," Sam said excitedly.

"It was pretty good," Danny agreed. "I think the killer homework was a little too much though. Death by papercut isn't exactly scary."

"But that part where the computer lab came to life," Tucker added with a shudder. "I might have nightmares from that one."

They continued walking, chatting amiably about their favorite parts of the movie as they headed towards their usual hangout. The trio paused as a large, black tour bus drove past them and exchanged a glance. The windows were almost the same color as the rest of the exterior, hiding the occupants from view, but Danny felt a familiar chill rise in his throat.

"That can't be good," he remarked.

"Maybe they're just passing through," Tucker offered as he watched the vehicle continue away from them. "Sweet ride, though."

"Maybe," he said, not entirely convinced.

"Should we check it out?" Sam asked.

"Not tonight," Danny decided. "If they're going to start trouble, we'll know soon enough. Let's get something to eat."

Moving forward again, they turned and crossed the parking lot of Nasty Burger. Summer vacation was on the wane and most of the teenagers of Amity Park were gathered at the fast-food restaurant, seated in their own particular cliques. The three found an empty booth and Sam sat down while the boys went to place their orders.

Nearly five minutes had passed and she glanced over to see her friends still waiting in line. As she turned her head to look forward again, she caught sight of the pair entering the building. Her eyes widened briefly as she took in the appearance of the two. They seemed about the same height and the brunet was close to her own age, but his companion caused her to stare as they passed her table.

His white hair brushed the top of his ears and emerald eyes, similar to his companion's, swept over the occupants of the establishment. She guessed him to be in his late teens or early twenties at the most, and she strained to hear what she could of their conversation.

"It's the only place open," the brown-haired teenager said with a shrug. "Besides, it has to be good if it's this popular."

"Perhaps," his friend replied. "Although a place labeled as 'Nasty Burger' sounds less than appealing."

"Well, you're not the one that has to eat."

"Indeed."

"Hey, do you think they have smoothies?"

They moved out of earshot, but she could tell that they were laughing as they stopped at one of the few remaining booths. Sam pretended to look out the window, but watched them out of the corner of her eye as the older of the two claimed his seat. His eyes continued to take in his surroundings while his friend headed towards the line at the counter.

Sam looked over at her friends, who were almost at the front of the line. Danny and Tucker were still engaged in their discussion of the movie and didn't notice the approach of Casper High's star quarterback. It was like watching an impending train wreck. She didn't want to see the all too familiar encounter, but she couldn't bring herself to look away.

"Hey!" Danny protested when Dash shoved him out of the way and took his place in line.

"You got a problem, Fen-turd?" the jock challenged with a smirk.

"That's original," he remarked. "I bet it took you all summer to come up with that one."

Before things could escalate, the newcomer stepped forward.

"Excuse me," he began, his gaze settled on Dash. "It's kind of rude to cut in line like that. I mean, we've all be waiting our turn, so it's really only fair that you do the same."

"And what are you going to do about it, loser?"

Green eyes narrowed as one hand rested on the watch around his wrist. Shaking his head slightly, he seemed to reconsider the action and lets his arms fall back to his sides.

"You know, we could stand here and argue about it and one of us might kick the other's butt," he said with a grin. "But you're just not worth it."

Danny and Tucker stared for a moment before laughing. Dash shot them a glare and then turned his gaze back to the stranger. His fists clenched at his sides and his face flushed with anger.

"Is there a problem?" a smooth, accented voice interrupted.

Their attention turned towards the speaker and Danny felt the same chill rise once more. The man glanced at him, a curious expression on his face before he focused on the athlete again. Dash stared blankly at him for a moment, torn between his instinct to punch him and the striking resemblance to a familiar figure throughout the town.

"Just making some new friends," the brunet replied. "Some people just don't get the concept of waiting in line."

"Look, it's not that important," Danny interrupted, glancing at the small crowd that was gathering in anticipation of a fight. "It's not like they're going to run out of fries or anything."

"Really now?" A white brow lifted as his gaze held Dash in place. "If others were here first, then it is only fair that you wait your turn."

The quarterback's eyes glazed over and he nodded mutely. To Danny and Tucker's surprise, he stepped out of the way and headed to the back of the line. Their attention returned to the strange pair and they watched them exchange a few words before the elder of the two retreated back to their table.

"Friend of yours?" Tucker asked, picking up on Danny's unease.

"You could say that," he replied. "I guess he gets a little protective sometimes."

"A little?" Danny repeated, frowning.

"Yeah, a little." He seemed to pick up on the suspicion in the other teen's tone and offered a disarming smile as he changed the subject. "We just got into town tonight. I'm Ben."

"I'm Danny," he introduced cautiously. "This is my friend Tuck. You must be new in town if you're going to face off with Dash."

"I've had my share of bullies," Ben said with a laugh. Glancing past them to the dwindling line, he continued. "It looks like you guys are next. Maybe we'll see you around town."

"You can bet on it."

*****

"There's something weird going on with them," Danny said as they left the restaurant. "And I mean both of them. The one guy triggered my ghost sense, but he didn't seem all that ghostly. Then there's the other one... When he was about to go toe-to-toe with Dash, he reached for that weird watch he was wearing."

"It's a safe bet that they were on that bus," Sam added. "We don't know if they came here alone though."

"I don't know," Tucker said. "Ben seemed friendly enough. Maybe he doesn't know that his friend might be a ghost."

"No," Danny countered. "He didn't have any kind of reaction when his friend used whatever mind control that was on Dash. He knows something's up. I'm sure of it."

"Then we should go look for their bus when we go on patrol tonight," Sam said. "It can't be that hard to hide something that big."

"Unless they're using ghost powers to hide it," Danny told her. "Either way, we need to find out what they're planning to do here and how long they're going to be in town."

*****

"You didn't have to Jedi Mind Trick him," Ben said as they headed back through the town.

"He didn't have to be rude," Karian replied with a shrug. "I'm more concerned with your new friends. The dark-haired one carried the scent of death although he possessed a heartbeat."

"And that's bad?"

"Not bad," he clarified. "Just strange. He was also able to determine that I am not human."

"And that is bad," Ben stated, frowning. "I'd suggest packing up and leaving town, but we still don't know if there's any alien activity. We can't go if the locals are having the same problems we had back in Bellwood."

"Indeed," he agreed. "We need to be cautious, though. Those teenagers could be helpful, but only after we've determined if we can trust them or not. Until then, we should tell them as little as possible."

"Right. Let's just hope we're not facing another invasion." He rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. "We've handled DNAliens and the Highbreed, but it's hard to hit something that can just phase through solid objects."

"We do have friends in high places, so to speak," he reminded.

"I know," Ben replied. "They should be a last resort. Like a 'the world is going to end if we don't ask for their help' kind of thing." He watched him tip his head to the side and frowned. "What's wrong?"

"We are being followed."

"We can lose them," he said with a grin before reconsidering the course of action. "But that would only make them more suspicious. Pretend we don't know and see if they make a move."

*****

Danny kept them in sight as he flew overhead, making sure to remain a safe distance behind them. So far, the duo appeared to be just a regular pair of friends checking out the town. It didn't sit right with him, though. He looked ahead and saw the tour bus taking shape a short distance away.

"I found it," he said over the headset. "They're parked on the north end of town, just past the park."

"We'll meet you there," Sam replied.

He ducked behind a billboard and carefully peeked over the top of it. Two more people emerged from the vehicle and he squinted to get a better look at them. The group spoke for a few minutes before the newly revealed pair walked away from it, heading along the same path the others had just traveled.

"Looks like there's two more with them," Danny told his friends.

"Any red flags?" Tucker asked.

"Not yet," he replied. "These two look normal. A guy and a girl, probably around our age. He's got dark hair and she's a redhead. They're heading into town."

"Got it."

*****

"You should call your cousin," Karian advised. "It's likely that they will send someone to follow her and Kevin as well."

"This is getting old fast," Ben replied as he fished his cell phone out of his pocket. He sent a quick text message instead before speaking again. "Do you want to confront them or just go inside and wait for them to knock?"

"If then intend to cause problems for us, then I doubt they would knock politely," he remarked. "I'd rather not have to deactivate the lock-down devices. It's a nice night to watch the stars. Wouldn't you agree?"

Ben nodded, catching his meaning as they walked around to the back of the bus. He climbed the ladder, half expecting Karian to be waiting at the top, but turned to see him following his lead. It made sense when he thought about it. If they were being watched, they didn't want to reveal anything to a potential enemy.

As they reclined on the roof of the vehicle, he let the possibilities run through his mind. While they were out in the open, if anyone approached, his companion's superior senses would detect them before they even got close. Ben thought over the suspects, dismissing the athlete from the fast-food joint almost immediately. He didn't seem smart enough to coordinate a surveillance team, which was what Ben had assumed their pursuers to be. That left the pair that had caught their attention at the same establishment.

"A copper for your thoughts?" Karian's voice interrupted his musings and he turned his head to regard him.

"It's 'a penny for your thoughts' around here," he corrected. "I was just trying to figure out who would be interested enough to follow us. I'm pretty sure it's the two from that burger place; Danny and Tucker."

"And possibly their female friend," he added. "All three were quite curious about us from what I overheard of their conversation. The only one close at the moment is Danny, though. However, it's disturbing that I didn't hear his footsteps."

"Then how did you know he was following us?"

"I caught his scent on the wind," Karian replied. "His transmissions to his friends confirmed it."

"So I guess we just wait and see if he makes a move," he said with a sigh.

"We could also enjoy the view at the same time," the vampire stated with a grin.

*****

The double doors of the mansion exploded inward, showering the pristine, marble floor with dust and debris. A black-clad figure stepped over the wreckage as he entered the residence, his eyes scanning the interior through narrow slits in the metal helm. His gaze settled on the man rushing towards him, obviously furious at the damage.

"How many times am I going to have to rebuild this?" he demanded.

His protests were silenced as a bolt of dark, crackling energy sent him sliding across the smooth tiles and he came to rest against the wall. The intruder stepped forward, his hand held out in preparation for another attack. He watched the owner regain his feet, his eyes narrowing beneath the helmet as the resident's form was surrounded momentarily by a black ring. It split into two, sliding over the man's figure to reveal his enhanced form.

"So the rumors are true," the intruder remarked. "This could work to my advantage. I propose an arrangement, Mr. Masters; or would you prefer that I address you as Plasmius?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Come on, Danny," Sam said over the headset. "You've been watching them for almost an hour. What's going on?"

"I don't know," he replied honestly. "They're just laying on top of the bus talking."

"Well get closer and see what they're talking about," she told him.

A small amount of concentration caused his form to fade, becoming both invisible and intangible. He passed through the billboard effortlessly and slowly approached the vehicle. Watching them carefully, he hovered a few feet away and listened to their exchange. When the elder of the two frowned and seemed to glance in his direction, Danny let himself drop down to land on the pavement. From his position, he was still able to hear the conversation and he remained perfectly still as he listened.

"I'm going inside for a drink. Would you like anything?"

He recognized the accented voice, but the words confused him. _Ghosts don't need to drink,_ he thought. _He didn't eat or drink anything at Nasty Burger, but now all of a sudden he's thirsty?_ He pushed the question aside when he heard the response above.

"Actually, I think I'll come in too," Ben replied. "Maybe I can get that blender to work."

Hearing movement from the top of the bus, Danny remained invisible as he backed up a few more feet. He watched them descend the ladder and followed them to the door. After a brief moment of indecision, he cautiously floated up the stairs behind the pair. His eyes widened when he saw the interior of the vehicle and he took a few seconds to study the details. _Tucker would have a field day in here_, he thought when he noticed the different panels and displays on the main console.

"How proficient are you in my language?"

"I know a little bit," Ben replied. "Gwen's a lot better at it than I am."

"You haven't been studying." His tone held a hint of amusement as he withdrew an opaque bottle from the refrigerator. As he set it down and pulled out a few containers of fruit, he continued. "After all, I did learn yours. Fair is fair, Ben."

"I know," he said, taking the containers as he moved to the counter. "It's summer though. Studying usually goes on the back burner this time of year."

"Well, let's see what you remember."

Danny frowned as the man spoke a few words in a strange, melodic language. Ben's brow furrowed as he tried to translate them and his response, in the same tongue, was hesitant. His friend nodded in approval and as he spoke again, Danny had the feeling that he was talking deliberately slow.

Unease crept through him. At this time of night, it seemed odd for a sudden lesson in foreign language, but he couldn't quite place why it bothered him. They fell silent as Ben began to drop pieces of fruit into the blender while his friend headed towards the front of the bus. Danny moved out of the way, watching him curiously as he pressed a few buttons on the main console.

The door closed with a whisper and a mechanical voice announced that Security Level Four had been activated. _Uh oh..._ Realizing this would be the time to depart, Danny moved towards one of the walls, attempting to phase through only to discover that the surface was solid to his intangible form. _They have a Ghost Shield?_ he wondered, forcing himself not to panic. Another alarming thought came to mind. _They know I'm here._

*****

"I can't believe you ate three of those things," Gwen remarked as they left the fast-food restaurant. "Even half of one made me nauseous."

"They weren't that bad," Kevin said with a shrug. "The sauce made the burger, though." Glancing around at the few people walking along the sidewalks, he spoke again. "Any news?"

"Ben just texted me a few minutes ago," she replied. "They're still waiting to see if something's going to happen, but he thought it would be a good idea if we stayed out a little longer."

"Do you really think it's smart to leave those two alone any longer than we have to?" he asked, arching a brow.

"I'd be concerned if they were alone," she stated. "He's pretty sure they're not."

"Could be an excuse."

"Ben wouldn't use something like this as an excuse," she assured him.

"No, but his boyfriend might."

Gwen rolled her eyes, but let the matter drop as they continued through the town. It seemed like a relatively normal residential area and she had to wonder why the information she had found was full of reported ghost sightings. So far, they had yet to encounter the slightest hint of abnormal activity, alien or otherwise. As they turned the next corner, they both stopped, staring up at the bizarre structure connected to the top of one house.

"What the hell is that supposed to be?" Kevin asked, reading the sign attached to the side of the building. "Fenton Works? Is that some kind of business?"

"I have no idea," she replied, just as perplexed by the structure as he was.

"It's a little over the top if you ask me," a voice said from behind them. They turned to regard the girl who had addressed them. She offered a smile and adjusted the weight of the books cradled in her arms. "I'm guessing you're not from around here."

"No, we're not," Gwen replied. "We're really just passing through, but thought that we could take a look around while we're here."

"Who are your new friends?" another voice asked from the doorway of the house.

The girl groaned softly as she took a deep breath. Gwen and Kevin turned to look at the woman standing on the front steps, noting the similarities between the pair. The green bodysuit seemed out of place, but neither of them chose to make a comment.

"I just met them," the girl said. "They're just passing through town."

"Well, invite them inside," she insisted with a smile.

"We wouldn't want to impose," Gwen said as the girl began to protest.

"Nonsense!"

Gwen and Kevin exchanged a glance, coming to a decision when the girl passed them. The barely heard her whisper a request that seemed more like she was forbidding her mother from bringing up anything regarding ghosts. As the pair followed their hosts inside, they didn't notice the figure peering out from the adjacent alley.

*****

Danny listened to the information relayed over the headset and frowned. _Just great,_ he thought. _I'm stuck in here and their friends are chatting with my parents._ The pair he was observing was seated on the sofa, seemingly oblivious to his presence as they played a video game on the large entertainment center. _I can't keep this up much longer. If they know I'm here, why aren't they doing anything about it. Unless they're waiting for me to make a move first..._

He was struggling to figure them out. So far, they hadn't done anything suspicious since the incident with Dash. He was almost certain that they knew they were followed, but it didn't seem to bother them. Fatigue was starting to wear on him, though and he finally stepped forward as his form became visible once more.

As they paused their game and looked over at him, his theory was confirmed. They didn't look surprised by his presence, but it took a moment before he saw recognition in their eyes. Taking a step forward, Danny watched them stand, but neither of them spoke. Apparently, they were waiting for him to explain why he had followed them and snuck into their bus. _It'll be two on one if I can't talk my way out of this_, he thought. _Then again, I'm the one with ghost powers, so that makes it a little better._

"Um... hi," he began. "Look, I know this looks bad, but..."

"You followed us and spied on us," Ben interrupted. "How is that supposed to look good?"

"You look different than our last encounter," his friend remarked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Danny replied, taking a step back. "I mean, I saw you guys walking through town, but I didn't talk to you. I think you have me confused with someone else."

"Who are you kidding?" Ben countered, folding his arms over his chest. "We saw you at that burger place, remember? Well, the hair and clothes were different, but everything else is the same."

"Interesting disguise," the other added with a hint of a smirk. "I'm curious as to what you were using to hide yourself from view. Most items of power would not work inside this vehicle given the amount of technology used to modify it."

"I'm telling you you've got the wrong guy," Danny insisted.

"Ok, we get it," Ben stated. "You have this whole secret identity thing going on and you don't want us to know that we figured it out. You're not the only one with secrets, Danny."

Danny considered the words, his instincts telling him that there was a deeper meaning to them if he could just determine what it might be. They had already discovered his identity, which was more than the general population of Amity Park had been able to do, but they didn't seem interested in fighting him. Even the one who had triggered his Ghost Sense seemed content to stand there and watch him with a disconcerting amused expression.

"What's going on in there?" Sam asked over the headset, reminding him that his own device was voice-activated. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," he told her before addressing the others. "Alright, you've made your point. Will you turn off your Ghost Shield now?"

"Ghost Shield?" Ben repeated, confusion clouding his eyes as he turned to his friend. "We have a ghost shield?"

"I suppose so," he replied with a chuckle. "Part of the security system prevents intangible species from entering the bus. It was Kevin's idea. Apparently it also prevents them from leaving." He stepped forward and Danny noticed a predatory gleam in his eyes. "You did try to leave, did you not?"

"That's kind of why I asked you to turn it off," Danny said, taking a step back.

"What are you?" He continued to advance, all traces of amusement gone. "You are human, but not. How is it that earlier you possessed a heartbeat and yet now, there is silence?"

"You could hear my heartbeat?"

"When it was present. Answer the questions."

"Karian, that's enough," Ben interrupted.

"It will be enough when he gives a satisfactory response," he said evenly.

"No," Ben stated, stepping past them. He keyed in a code on the console and the mechanical voice announced that the security system had been deactivated. "This isn't going to help anything." Turning to Danny, he continued. "Sorry about that. Everything should be off now if you wanted to leave."

He looked back and forth between them, the growing tension almost tangible. Danny wasn't one to run from a potential fight, but he wasn't stupid either. He realized the best bet would be to make his escape now and search for more answers later. Without a word, his form faded from view and he phased through the wall unhindered.

Sam was waiting when he reached the edge of the parking lot. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the double rings passed over him. The black suit was replaced by his jeans and t-shirt and white hair darkened to black as green eyes became blue.

"That guy seriously creeps me out," he remarked with a sigh. "They knew we followed them and somehow, they knew I was on the bus even though I was invisible."

"But how?" she asked. "It doesn't make sense."

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I'm gonna find out."

*****

"I want that hour of my life back," Kevin said sourly as they walked away from the house. "I can't believe they really buy into all that ghost crap."

"I don't know if there really are ghosts here," Gwen began. "There's definitely something strange in this town, though. I'm not sure what to think about those samples they showed us."

"It looked like glow-in-the-dark Jell-O. I'm not impressed."

"Well, at least we learned one thing from them," she continued. "Ben seemed convinced that those guys from Nasty Burger were following him. Now we know where one of them lives."

"Yeah," he agreed. "Jack mentioned Danny often enough. It's probably the same one Tennyson was talking about."

She nodded her agreement as she pulled out her cell phone. Lifting it to her ear, she listening to it ring a few times before redirecting to voice mail. Disconnecting the call, she dialed another number with the same result.

"Neither of them are answering their phones," she said. "I think we should head back and make sure everything's alright."

*****

"You are not listening," Karian stated.

"Just because I don't agree with you, it doesn't mean I'm not listening," Ben retorted. "Trapping him in here like that? It's like kidnapping."

"Denizens of the spirit realm cannot be trusted," he insisted. "He shouldn't have followed us to begin with."

"He just wanted to make sure we weren't going to cause any trouble," Ben told him. "I'm not surprised after what happened earlier tonight."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"All I'm saying is that if you hadn't Mind Tricked that guy, then they might have tried to talk to us instead. We don't need to make any more enemies, Karian."

"It prevented the situation from escalating," he replied. "Would you rather I had incapacitated him?"

"That would have helped," Ben said dryly. "Why didn't you just threaten his life while you were at it? That seems to be one of your favorites."

"So you could remind me that your aliens could defeat me?" he shot back.

"That was different," he said.

"Of course it was." Karian rolled his eyes. "What you fail to realize is that if you and I were ever to do battle, I would be finished with you before your hand could fall upon your precious Omnitrix."

"What is your problem?" Ben asked in frustration. "First you're overly protective and now you're trying to tell me how easily you could hurt me. Make up your mind already."

"My problem is your willingness to trust anyone without question despite the obvious risks," he replied, equally frustrated. "I'm trying to warn you about how unpredictable spirits can be and all you want to do is remind me of what you perceive to me my mistakes. The restless dead hold nothing but contempt for the living and they will use any means necessary to satisfy their discontent."

"Is that your excuse?"

Karian's eyes widened at the retort before narrowing in anger. His iris spread over the pupils and whites, encompassing his eyes in a deadly green glow as his lips pulled back from his fangs in a snarl. Ben realized how the question must have sounded and he looked down for a moment. When he lifted his gaze again, he heard the door slam against the side of the bus and realized he was alone.

He dropped onto the sofa and rested his elbows on his knees as he replayed the debate in his mind. _Good one Ben_, he chided himself. He recalled what another vampire had told him several months prior and sighed. _They don't think like humans do,_ he thought. _I guess I thought he might be the exception after everything he went through._ His thoughts were interrupted as he looked over towards the entrance and saw Gwen and Kevin ascend the stairs into the vehicle.

"What's wrong?" his cousin asked, taking note of his posture. "Where's Karian?"

"We had an argument," he replied. "He just left. I think I'm going to give him some time to cool down and then I'm going to look for him."

"Aww, your first fight," Kevin teased. "If you two are gonna kiss and make up, make sure I'm not around for it."

"That's not helping," Gwen told him before sitting down beside her cousin. "What was it about?"

"I don't even know," he said with a sigh. "I got mad at him for trapping Danny in here and he thinks I'm too trusting. He kept going on about how we can't trust spirits, but the only thing that Danny did was follow us. After what happened with that jock at the burger place, I'm not surprised."

"Wait," Kevin interrupted. "You let a pissed off vampire loose in the middle of town?"

"I don't think he's going to do anything," Ben said defensively. "He's not like that."

"Yeah right," he remarked, motioning to the small scars on the side of the younger teen's neck. "He'd never try to eat anyone or anything..."

"So he really believes there are ghosts here?" Gwen asked, ignoring Kevin's sarcasm.

"It looks that way," Ben replied. He glanced at Kevin as he snorted at the statement before returning his attention to his cousin. "I'm not sure if he's right, but I do know that Danny isn't completely human. He might be another Plumber's kid."

"I don't think so," Gwen told him. "We were just at his place talking to his parents. They claim to be ghost hunters and didn't even mention aliens or the Plumbers."

"Did you find anything out from them?"

"A little," she replied. "I'm not sure how useful it'll be though."

*****

The two figures looked down from the roof of the building, watching the white-haired figure stalk through the town. Plasmius drifted towards the edge, gathering ecto-energy in one hand before his temporary partner stopped him.

"Not yet," Darkstar told him. "I've tangled with that one before. I have special plans for him."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"I want to do one last patrol," Danny told them, rising from his seat on the bed. "Other than the new kids in town, we haven't had any ghost sightings tonight."

"It's getting kind of late for that, don't you think?" Tucker replied.

"If we split up, we can cover more ground," Sam suggested as she looked over at Danny. "You said the other two were in their bus, right? Maybe they're settled in for the night."

"Their friends were heading that way when they left here," Tucker added.

"I'll take that side of town, then," Danny decided. "Tucker, you check out the area near Nasty Burger and Sam can check the Observatory."

"No arguments there," Tucker agreed, obviously pleased with his assignment.

"We'll meet back here in an hour," he continued.

*****

Dark blue wings caught the air currents as Big Chill glided over the town. While Jetray could have traveled the distance faster, his current form allowed the ability to fly just as well and, at a slower pace, he could pay more attention to the details below. Kevin had used his badge to locate the fourth member of their team, but Ben wanted to make sure that the vampire hadn't caused any damage along the way.

A bright green flash shot past him and he stopped suddenly, turning to regard the source. _Great,_ he thought. _He can fly too. _He drifted to the side as the figure advanced, avoiding the punch and turning to watch him.

"This is a no-fly-zone, pal," Danny told him, preparing another blast of energy.

"You're breaking your own rules," he countered, vapor collecting in front of him as the words came out in the raspy, alien voice. "I don't want to fight you."

"Right," he said skeptically. "I'm not sure what you are, but you're going back to the Ghost Zone."

"What is with you people?" Big Chill asked, floating back a few more feet. "I don't know what the Ghost Zone is, but it doesn't sound like a good vacation spot."

"Nice try."

"Would you just listen for a moment?" he protested, his form fading as a beam of energy passed through him. As he became visible again, he continued. "I don't want any trouble, Danny."

"Huh?" Confusion clouded his features as he paused. "How did you know my name?"

"Because we've already met," the alien replied.

He drifted down to land on the roof of the closest building and watched as Danny mirrored his movements. Thin fingers pressed the emblem on his chest and a bright flash of green revealed his true form. Danny's eyes widened as he regarded the familiar figure and he blinked a few times to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

"Ben?"

*****

Sam climbed the hill towards the Observatory, glancing around for any signs of activity. The area seemed deserted at this hour of the night, which was surprising given the clear skies above. Dismissing the uncomfortable feeling, she continued around the structure and stopped when she saw the figure sitting at the edge of the overlook.

It took a moment to determine his identity, but as she took in the details of his appearance, she knew who it was and ducked behind a nearby bush. His hair lacked the familiar, tousled appearance that her friend sported and he was wearing a t-shirt and jeans instead of the black and silver jumpsuit. Sam held her breath, hoping her presence had gone unnoticed as she peered through the leaves to watch him.

"I know you're there," he said, although he didn't look in her direction. "If you wish to talk, then stop hiding in the shadows like a thief and reveal yourself. Otherwise, be gone with you."

Sam hesitated and remained hidden as she considered her options. She didn't detect any malice in his tone. In fact, he sounded kind of sad. If he was a ghost, he didn't seem like he planned to attack her. Taking a deep breath, she straightened and stepped forward, stopping a few feet behind him.

"How did you know I was there?" she asked.

"I have excellent hearing," he replied. She had the feeling that he was smiling as he spoke, despite the sullen tone. "Do you wish to sit or are you simply checking to make sure I don't plan to cause any mischief tonight?"

"I don't want to interrupt you," she replied, reconsidering her decision.

"If I minded, I wouldn't have addressed you."

She nodded and stepped forward, sitting beside him although she kept at least a foot's distance between them. Turning her head to study him, she noticed his troubled expression and her features softened. _He doesn't seem that bad,_ she thought. They sat in silence for a few minutes, but he didn't seem bothered by it.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked finally.

"Thinking," he replied. "Ben and I quarreled and it has left me with much to consider. We exchanged some rather harsh words."

"Friends argue sometimes," she told him. "It happens. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I doubt that you would understand," he said, looking away. "Besides, you do not even know me. Why would you listen to the troubles of a stranger; one, I might add, who you know to be dangerous?"

"Because I like to think that not all ghosts are bad," Sam replied with a small smile. "Sometimes they just need someone to talk to."

"You believe I am of the spirit realm?" A white eyebrow arched as he finally turned to look at her and she saw amusement flash in his eyes.

"If you're not a ghost, then what are you?"

"It is complicated," he replied, looking away again. "Do you have a name?"

"Samantha," she said. "But my friends call me Sam."

"Sam it shall be, I suppose." He offered a slight smile. "That is, if we are to be friends. I'm Karian."

Another silence stretched between them. Sam wasn't quite sure what to make of him, but he seemed a lot different than what Danny had told her. Her friend had warned her that there was something strange about him and the fact that he had triggered his Ghost Sense seemed to confirm it. However, Karian denied that he was a ghost and, while he could be lying, he hadn't exactly showed any ghost-like behavior.

"So," she began. "Now that we're not strangers, do you want to talk about it?"

"You are persistent," he observed.

"My two best friends are boys," she replied with a laugh. "Sometimes being persistent comes in handy."

"Considering the fact that our dispute was about one of your friends, I question the wisdom of discussing it with you."

"We could talk about something else then," Sam offered. "That's a neat accent. Where are you from?"

"I currently reside in California," Karian replied. "I highly doubt that you have heard of my homeland."

"You're not making this easy," she stated.

"There would be little fun in that."

"You have a really weird idea of fun."

"So I've been told." He shook his head slightly. "My apologies, Sam. My irritation at him should not be taken out on you. You seem like a nice young woman and I sense no deception in your words. There are just a few things that are difficult to explain to one who has not had the same experiences."

"I can't promise that I'll understand, but I'm at least willing to listen," she said.

"Very well," he conceded. "I can not tell you everything, but what I can tell you might help ease your mind as well as placate your friends."

*****

Both teenagers stared at each other. Danny approached cautiously, but Ben didn't move. The half-ghost watched him closely, waiting for him to turn into something else as soon as he got close, but nothing happened. Finally, he floated back a few feet and landed.

"How did you do that?"

"With this," Ben replied, lifting his hand to show him the strange watch attached to his wrist. "It's the Omnitrix and it allows me to access the genetic code of different alien species. It gives me a chance to walk a mile in their shoes, I guess."

"Right..." Danny said, not convinced. "And where did you get it?"

"That's a bit of a long story and while I'd love to tell you all about it, I really have to get going." He pressed a button on the side of the device and turned the dial until he found the hologram he wanted. Before he could press the faceplate down, an energy blast struck the ground beside him. "Not this again. I already told you I don't want to fight you."

"You're not leaving until you tell me what's going on," he stated.

"I don't have time for this," Ben said as he started losing patience.

"Ok, then," Danny began. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Listen, it looks like you just want to make sure that we don't cause problems in your town, but we're the good guys, alright?" Ben took a step forward as he spoke. "We've been doing everything we can to keep the Earth safe and right now, I need to go find my friend and hope he didn't do anything stupid."

Danny studied him for a moment, trying to decide if he should believe him or not. They were getting nowhere arguing about it, but something was still out of place. It sounded like Ben was more worried about his friend hurting someone else instead of getting hurt himself. Finally, he nodded slowly.

"Then let's go find him," he said. "Where was he headed?"

"We know he went to the southwestern edge of town," Ben told him. "Gwen pulled up a map online and it looks like there's some kind of observatory there."

"The Observatory?" Danny repeated, dread washing over him. "Sam!"

*****

Sam considered the tale and couldn't help but feel bad for everything he had been through. She was certain that he had omitted at least a few details, but it didn't seem like the right time to press the issue. It did, however, manage to clarify a few things while creating more questions at the same time.

"So, you and Ben are pretty close?" she asked.

"Indeed," Karian replied, his slight smile giving her the impression that, again, there was more to it than he was telling her. "He pulled me back from the edge, so to speak. I would have let the sun take me if not for his insistence that I remain."

She nodded slowly, piecing together the information. His cryptic response was less than helpful, though. She was about to speak again when she heard the transmission in her earpiece and frowned.

"Sam, where are you?" Danny asked.

"Over at the Observatory," she replied. "Where else would I be?"

"I'm on my way," he told her. "We've got a problem. Stay where you are and stay out of sight until I get there."

"Danny, what's going on?" she demanded, concerned and annoyed at the same time.

"Just trust me on this," he insisted. "We'll be there soon."

"We?" she echoed. "You have Tucker with you?"

"I'm still at Nasty Burger," Tucker chimed in.

"He is worried that you will encounter me," Karian remarked.

"You heard that?" Sam asked him. His smirk answered the question and reminded her that approaching him might not have been the best idea.

"Relax," he advised. "If I had any plans to harm you I would have done so the moment I detected your presence."

"That's comforting," she said dryly. Her gaze lifted as she caught movement in the distance and she stared at the rapidly approaching figures. "What the...?"

Karian swore under his breath and was on his feet before she could even register the motion. She stood as well as the pair grew closer and her eyes widened at the red and yellow creature flying beside Danny. A noise that distinctly sounded like a growl caused her to look over at Karian and she noticed him tense, his eyes narrowed as he stared at them.

"Leave her alone!" Danny shouted, stopping in mid-air a few paces away. He seemed about to attack, but the creature flew in front of him.

"You don't want to fight him," it said before turning towards them. "Karian..."

"Let him attack me," he interrupted. "I am in no mood for games tonight and it will at least give me a chance to relieve some tension."

"You know that thing?" Sam asked, taking a step back.

"Indeed," Karian replied before addressing the alien again. "She seems more frightened of you than she is of me. Rather ironic, I think."

"I just want to talk," the creature insisted.

"Then come down here and talk."

"Don't do it," Danny advised.

"Talking sounds good," Sam suggested. "Talking and not fighting each other sounds really good."

The seconds ticked by and they all remained in place, as if they had been frozen in time. Danny watched Karian closely, ready to fight if he even made the slightest threatening move towards Sam. Jetray glided over to land before them, returning to his normal form as he stepped towards his friend.

"Look, I shouldn't have said that," Ben began. "I shouldn't have said a lot of the things I said back there."

Sam glanced between them, surprise registering on her features when the creature changed into someone at least a little bit familiar. She watched Karian glare at him for a moment before his expression softened.

"I suppose I provoked you," he admitted. "You had every right to disagree with my actions."

"Well, I'm glad you two can work this out," Sam said, backing away as she glanced up at Danny. "We'll just be on our way."

Danny pulled his gaze away from the other two and looked at her, about to protest when he saw the look on her face. It was clear that she wanted to get away from them as soon as possible and he assumed that her concern was that the tension might rise again. After giving the others one last glance, he flew over to her and lifted her up.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked once they were a relatively safe distance away.

"I'm fine," she told him. "Not too sure about Karian, though. That guy's got more issues than Time Magazine."

"I told you to stay out of sight," he reminded.

"Which would have been helpful if I wasn't already talking to him."

She sighed as they reached Nasty Burger and he set her down. As soon as he had landed, the rings passed over him and he shifted back into a teenager. They walked around to the front of the building and saw Tucker inside at one of the booths. Exchanging a glance, they headed inside to join him.

"Why were you talking to him, anyway?" Danny asked, frowning.

"He looked upset," she replied with a shrug.

"Sam, he's dangerous," he countered. "How many ghosts do you know that would just sit down for a friendly chat?"

"He's not a ghost," she told him. "I don't know what he is, but he's definitely not a ghost. He said so himself."

"And you believed him?"

"Someone sounds jealous," Tucker observed around a mouthful of food.

"I am _not _jealous," Danny insisted.

"Well good," Sam stated. "Besides, I'm not his type."

"How do you know what his type is?" Danny asked.

"Why are you so interested?"

"I'm not interested," he said, earning him a skeptical look from both of them. "I just think it's best if we stay away from him. Maybe we should just stay away from all of them. Something's not right with them."

"What gave it away?" she asked. "Was it the huge red thing flying with you?"

"What huge red thing?" Tucker asked.

"These guys deal with aliens," Danny told them. "That watch Ben has lets him turn into them. When I ran into him, he was some moth-like thing. This town has enough problems with ghosts. We don't need aliens on top of it. I'm betting that most of the gadgets on their bus aren't even from Earth."

"What kind of gadgets?" Tucker prompted, becoming more interested in the discussion.

"I don't know what they are," he replied. "But part of their security system acts like a Ghost Shield. Who knows what else they have..."

"If they have stuff that could be used to fight ghosts," Sam began. "Don't you think we'd be better off trying to be friends with them? They might be able to give us a hand while they're here."

"I'd just as soon see them leave," Danny said.

*****

"Was that really necessary?" Plasmius asked as he floated behind the masked figure.

"If this plan is to work, then it has to look authentic," Darkstar replied impatiently.

"We could have used him for other purposes. The only thing he has in common with our enemies is that he bullies Daniel at school." He paused when he received no response. "I'm the genius, you know. We should have gone with my plan instead."

"How often have your plans worked?" Darkstar turned to glare at him. "You have failed many more times than I have. We are going with this one. Feel free to try things on your own if you are going to be squeamish about it."

Vlad bit back a retort, but muttered under his breath as they started forward again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

It was almost noon before Danny opened his eyes. Sunlight poured through the window and he squinted with a groan. _These late night have got to stop,_ he thought as he slowly sat up. He glanced over at the door when he heard a knock, but the guests didn't wait for an invitation to enter. One look at their faces told him that something was wrong and the lingering lethargy evaporated.

"You're still in bed?" Sam asked in disapproval.

"Told you," Tucker stated.

"I'm just a little worn out I guess," Danny replied apologetically. "What's going on?"

"Something attacked Dash last night," Sam explained.

"Is he alright?" Danny frowned. While he and Dash had their share of differences, the news that something had attacked the athlete caused more than a little concern. "What happened?"

"He's in the hospital," she replied. "I'm still trying to find out exactly what happened, but they found him between here and the Observatory." She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "He's in bad shape, Danny. They said he's lost a lot of blood but the only marks on him made it look like something bit him." When he gave her a blank stare, she sighed. "On the neck."

"What, like a vampire?"

"It explains the bite and the blood loss," she told him.

"Come on, Sam," he said skeptically. "Vampires aren't real."

"Kind of like ghosts and aliens, right?"

"She's got a point there," Tucker added.

"Fine, we'll go with that," Danny said, his brow furrowed in thought. "Ghosts, aliens, and now vampires... I'm definitely moving out of this town after high school. There's gotta be a connection there. These alien kids just showed up in town and all of a sudden we get his with a vampire attack?"

"You think they had something to do with it?" Tucker asked.

"It makes sense," Sam agreed, frowning. "And I think I know which one it is." They looked at her expectantly as she recalled the discussion from the night before. "What if your Ghost Sense doesn't just pick up ghosts? I think it might be triggered by any form of undead, including vampires."

"And Karian triggered it," he said. "Come to think of it, the way Ben was talking last night, it sounded like he was worried about his friend hurting someone."

"We know he doesn't like Dash," Tucker added.

"I'll meet you downstairs," Danny told them.

*****

"So your parents are really into ghosts," Gwen remarked.

"It gets kind of embarrassing," Jazz admitted with a laugh.

They were sitting in the park, sharing a packed lunch after running into each other earlier that morning. While Ben and Kevin decided to do some more investigating, Gwen thought it might be helpful to see what she could find out from someone who seemed to have firsthand knowledge of the situation. So far, the girls were getting along well, but Gwen was careful to reveal as little as possible about herself or the rest of her team.

"You don't believe in them?" she pressed.

"It's really kind of crazy when you think about it," Jazz told her, although her laugh seemed forced. "I mean, come on... Ghosts? That's right up there with little green men from Mars."

"With all the talk about them around here, I'm surprised you've never seen one," Gwen said.

She watched the other girl shift uncomfortably. _She definitely knows something_, she thought. Glancing around, she noticed the trio crossing the grass towards them and smiled to herself. _Bingo._ The description her cousin had provided was enough for her to recognize them and the expression on the dark-haired boys face confirmed her assumption.

"Jazz?" he began, glancing between them suspiciously as he and his friends stopped in front of them.

"Oh, hi Danny," she greeted as she looked him over. "Did you just get up?"

"Nevermind that," he replied. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," she said, rising from the picnic table as she looked at Gwen. "I'll be right back."

Gwen nodded, watching the two depart. Her gaze returned to the other two and she noticed the veiled hostility in the dark-clad girl's eyes. She offered a disarming smile, but the expression wasn't returned. They seemed content to watch her, but obviously weren't interested in conversation.

Looking back to Jazz and Danny, she watched their debate, wishing she could hear what they were saying. It looked like they were arguing and it wasn't a stretch to assume that she was the subject of their dispute. That made two more things clear. First, Danny was the same one that her cousin had encountered at the restaurant and later in the evening, which also meant that he wasn't fully human. Second, Jazz knew it. Logic also dictated that he was now telling her everything that he knew about Gwen and her friends.

"Will you just listen for a minute?" Danny pleaded as Jazz returned to the table.

"That's enough, Danny," she said impatiently. "It's bad enough that Mom and Dad have you caught up in all their ghost stuff. This is just ridiculous."

"But you don't understand!"

"Is everything alright?" Gwen asked.

"Yes," Jazz replied.

"No," Danny said at the same time. "I need talk to your friends."

"I can find them for you if you want," she offered. When he nodded, she pulled out her cell phone and typed in a quick message. As soon as the response came in, she looked up again. "Ben and Kevin are at the burger place in town."

"What about Karian?" Sam prompted.

"He's probably asleep," Gwen replied, frowning. "He usually drives at night, so he's not used to being up during the day."

"Right," Danny said, a slight smirk dancing across his features.

"What did you need to talk to them about?" Gwen asked, concerned by his demeanor.

"Danny thinks you and your friends are aliens," Jazz told her, rolling her eyes.

"Seriously?" She arched a brow.

"I told him how crazy that sounds," Jazz continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "But you know how little brothers are."

"Kind of," she said with a laugh. "My cousin was kind of like a little brother for a while."

Danny sighed, realizing that they were getting nowhere. As he turned to walk away, a chill escaped his throat and his eyes narrowed. Facing them again, he watched his sister open up one of the containers of sliced fruit and scowled at the portly, translucent form that emerged from within.

"I am the Box Ghost!" the specter declared. "These neatly packaged food goods are mine!"

"Not you again," Danny groaned. As he noticed Gwen staring between him and the ghost, he cleared his throat. "I mean.. Oh no! A ghost!"

"Not buying it," she remarked.

The appearance of the spirit left them both with the same dilemma. While Danny was almost certain that Ben had revealed his secret to his cousin, he couldn't be sure. Gwen, on the other hand, was more than a little hesitant to use her own abilities in front of Jazz, who seemed to be trying to figure out what to do. As the ghost began to juggle the various items, Danny and Gwen met each other's gazes evenly.

"Truce?" he offered.

"I didn't know we were at war," she replied. "But alright."

Gwen jumped up from her seat as a set of Tupperware was flung at her and responded with a series of mana-bursts. She heard Danny's declaration a few feet away, but kept her attention on their adversary. A shield of pink energy blocked the objects that had been thrown at Jazz and she felt a small tinge of remorse for her intended deception.

"I can't hit him!" she called to Danny, focusing her attention on one problem at a time.

"Your attempts are empty," the Box Ghost taunted. "I shall package you and ship you to your doom!"

"Give it a rest, already," Danny said irritably as he sent a few rays of ecto-energy at him. "Someone needs to ship you some new puns."

Gwen frowned when another volley of mana-bursts passed through the spirit and she changed tactics. Using the energy to produce a surface beneath her, she ran up to stand above him, focusing her attacks on his improvised ammunition. Grabbing several of them at once, she flung them into her opponent, a triumphant smile dancing on her lips when they struck their target.

Danny circled around and blasted him again, knocking him across the picnic area. Without giving him a chance to recover, Danny caught the cylindrical container Sam tossed up and pressed a button on the side. The beam encircled the specter, sucking it into the thermos and he closed the lid before the Box Ghost could finish its final warning of "beware".

"I am so sick of that guy," he said as he landed and changed back.

"I take it you do this pretty often," Gwen remarked as she descended the set of glowing stairs. Glancing at Jazz, her expression softened. "Are you alright?"

"I think so," she replied, staring at her. "So, you really are an alien?"

"Only part," Gwen told her with a small smile.

"Look, this can wait," Danny interrupted. "I really need to talk to your friends. It's important."

"What's this all about?" she asked, turning to face him again.

"We'll explain on the way," Sam told her.

*****

"There has to be another explanation," Ben insisted as they headed away from the establishment. As soon as the vampire attack was mentioned, they decided that the discussion would be best held away from anyone who might overhear them. "Karian isn't like that."

"So he never tries to eat anyone?" Sam countered as she shook her head. "I can't believe I actually felt sorry for him."

"Face it Tennyson," Kevin added. "He's done it before. If that kid pissed him off enough, I wouldn't put it past him to do something about it."

"When else has he done it?" Danny asked.

"Ask his wife," Kevin replied with a smirk.

"Great, what's her number?" Tucker asked, pulling out his cell phone-PDA combo.

Danny and Tucker exchanged a confused look when Kevin roared with laughter. Ben glared at him while Gwen sighed.

"Don't call me that," Ben told him.

"Why not?" he countered. "You already had a litter of alien babies."

"Am I missing something here?" Tucker asked.

"Wait," Danny interrupted, staring at Ben. "You and Karian are...?"

"They're dating," Sam stated impatiently. "Can we please focus here? Vampires attacking people in Amity Park... Ring any bells?"

"Right," Danny said, pushing that revelation aside for the moment.

"We're going to have to talk to him inside," Gwen told them, trying to keep the boys focused on the subject at hand. "We had the windows treated before we left Bellwood in the beginning of the summer."

"If it makes you feel better, we can shut down the security system until you leave," Ben offered, catching the look of discomfort on Danny's face.

It did make the prospect of confronting a potentially unhappy vampire a little easier to deal with. If they kept their system disabled, it would provide a means of escape for Danny and his friends if things escalated. He nodded and looked at the vehicle as it came into view. Pausing as Ben stepped forward to enter the access codes, Danny looked at Sam and Tucker.

"If you guys want to wait out here..."

"We're coming with you," Tucker stated, shaking his head.

"We're not going to let you face down a vampire on your own," Sam added.

"On second thought," Tucker said hesitantly. "I'd kind of like to keep my blood where it belongs..."

"We're all going in," Sam repeated, her expression daring him to argue.

"I really don't think he's going to do anything to you," Gwen assured them.

Ben entered the bus first as soon as the door opened. Kevin motioned for Danny and his friends to go inside while he and Gwen followed. As soon as the door had closed again, Karian emerged from the back. Tucker stared at the main console at the front of the bus, drawn to it as he tried to figure out what each button or dial was for.

"Don't touch anything," Kevin warned him, scowling.

"I understand you wanted to speak with me?" Karian greeted as he retrieved a bottle from the fridge.

Danny realized his guess had been correct. The vampire was definitely not pleased by their presence. The young half-ghost shifted uncomfortably, his gaze locked on the bottle now that he knew what it contained. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Karian again and stepped forward.

"Why did you attack Dash?" Sam demanded before Danny could come up with a tactful way to ask the question.

"I suppose I could provide a reason," Karian began with a shrug. "However, I can't justify something I haven't done."

"So there just happens to be another vampire running around and eating quarterbacks?" Danny countered.

"We just arrived here yesterday," he replied. "How am I supposed to know the status of your vampire population?"

"Do you think this is a joke?" Danny demanded, quickly losing patience with the exchange. "Yeah, we have ghost attacks on a daily basis, but we never had someone almost die from a vampire attack. If it wasn't you, then who was it?"

"He said he didn't do it," Ben stated, stepping between them.

"I don't know who did it," Karian told them, remaining calm despite the tension in the confines of the vehicle. "If you are so concerned with my eating habits, then I can assure you that it has been at least a month since I have fed from a human and even then, it was from a willing donor." Lifting the bottle in his hand, he continued. "This has been my breakfast, lunch, and supper, with very few exceptions, for two years now. While cold, stale blood isn't nearly as pleasant, it's better than hunting down innocents."

"Who in their right mind would volunteer for that?" Tucker asked, almost to himself.

"I don't know," Kevin replied with a smirk. "Hey Tennyson, you know anyone that would ask a vamp to bite him?"

"Give it a rest, Kevin," Gwen said in exasperation.

"Does that satisfy your suspicions?" Karian asked, bringing them back on topic.

"For now," Danny replied. "Something is out there hurting people, though. If you're telling the truth, then we need to figure it out soon."

"Good luck with that."

"Karian..." Ben began, frowning.

"What?" He turned to look at him as he took a sip from the bottle. "Do you honestly think I would help them after they accused me of attempted murder? For all we know, they could be the ones behind it." Returning his gaze to their guests, he continued. "What is your role in this, Spirit?"

"Me?" Danny countered, honestly surprised by the accusation.

"This again?" Ben asked with a sigh.

"Danny doesn't hurt people," Sam retorted.

"She's right," Gwen added. "From what I've seen, he's been helping this town with their ghost problems."

"Sure," Kevin said, rolling his eyes. "When he's done with that, he can hunt down the unicorns that ate his mom's flowerbed."

"So that's what happened to the tulips," Tucker remarked, causing Kevin to shake his head.

"I saw one, Kevin," Gwen stated. "I was having lunch with Danny's sister and it just popped up out of nowhere."

"Maybe his sister slipped something in your food," he said, obviously not impressed.

"Yeah right," Sam scoffed. "I don't think Jazz would know a controlled substance if it bit her on the..."

"Guys, seriously," Danny interrupted. "Look, if you don't want to help, then fine, but next time someone gets put in the hospital from a vampire bite, I'll be looking here first."

*****

The pair stopped as they saw the petite figure waiting at the gate to the estate. Darkstar's eyes narrowed beneath the helm and he started forward again, gathering dark energy in his hand. Vlad considered the young woman for a moment, stepping in front of his ally before a confrontation could erupt.

"Greetings and well met," she began.

The black-clad man glared at her, recognizing her accent, although her melodic voice and appearance were unfamiliar. Her slight frame was nowhere near intimidating, but her crystal blue eyes were cunning and cold. Pale, blonde hair flowed over her shoulders, the color interrupted only by a pair of jet black braids framing her face. Her delicate features placed her in her early adolescent years even though her stance was strong and confident.

Darkstar cast a glance at Plasmius, but apparently, he had no idea who she was either. Returning his attention to the stranger, he took in her appearance slowly, his senses trying to determine how powerful she might be.

"Perhaps you are lost," he stated.

"As you are the ones I wished to meet," she replied. "I believe I am exactly where I wanted to be."

"You wanted to meet us?" Plasmius asked, floating towards her. "What ever for? Surely you are looking for the owner of this marvelous mansion..."

"And I have found him," she countered. "Please believe that I come here with no ill intentions towards either of you. Quite the contrary, in fact. I believe we could be of assistance to each other. After all, we have a common goal."

"Who are you?" Darkstar demanded.

"Names do not truly convey who one is," she told him, her lips curling into a slight smile. "I suppose you could call me Vaelaeli."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

A warm summer breeze stirred the grass as the pair walked through the park. Ben glanced over at Karian, trying to determine why he seemed so distant. The vampire was obviously agitated, but hadn't spoken since they had left the bus. With a sigh, Ben looked forward again, reminding himself of the reason for this outing.

They had yet to encounter anything that even remotely resembled a ghost or an alien, but they had only been out for about half an hour. Pausing at the picnic area, they examined the tables, looking for any sign of otherworldly presence. The full moon provided enough light for the teenager to see most of the details of their surroundings, but everything appeared as normal as it should be.

"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong or are you going to sulk all night?" he asked, growing frustrated with the silence.

"I am not sulking," Karian replied. "I simply do not trust this place, nor do I trust the ones you seem determined to befriend."

"Why not?" Ben pressed. "Aren't gypsies supposed to have some kind of bond with nature and spirits?"

"We seek guidance from our ancestors," he told him. "There is a difference between dealing with them and dealing with a restless spirit. The ancestors have come to terms with their deaths, usually because it was their time. I have yet to encounter one in this town. The ghosts of Amity Park are here because they are unable to break their ties to this world. As I have told you before, it makes them dangerous, unpredictable, and untrustworthy."

"You're still mad about them accusing you of hurting that guy aren't you?" When Karian didn't respond, he continued. "You can't really blame them. They've probably never met a vampire before and when something like that comes up, it's easy to jump to conclusions." Hearing the low rumble of displeasure from his companion, he couldn't help but smile. "Growl at me all you want. You know I'm right."

"Perhaps," he conceded. "I suppose old habits are difficult to break. Trust does not come easily for me, Ben."

"I know." He sat down on one of the benches and leaned back on the table. "I just think that we should give these guys a chance. Danny and his friends seem like the Plumbers of this town, only they fight ghosts instead of aliens." When he looked over at him, he realized his friend wasn't standing there. "Karian?"

"I'm right here," the vampire replied from behind him.

Ben felt strong arms slide over his shoulders and glanced up to see Karian looking down at him. The vampire was seated on the table and Ben leaned back against him with a smile. They sat there, content for the moment, as Karian spoke again.

"I can't deny that you have a point," he admitted. "I will try to give them the benefit of the doubt if it will make you happy."

*****

Crimson armor shielded her from the wind as she balanced on the silver board. The Red Huntress swept her gaze over the town below as she continued her patrol. After what had happened to Dash, she had snuck out to increase the frequency of her searches, hoping to catch the one responsible before it happened again.

Crossing into the park, the display inside her helmet zoomed in on the pair seated at the picnic table and her eyes narrowed. She adjusted the weight of the laser rifle – the weapon specifically designed to battle ghosts – and took a moment to gather enough details. While she could only see their backs, the white hair was unmistakably familiar. _If you think putting on normal clothes is going to fool me, you've got another thing coming,_ she thought.

*****

"As pleasant as this is," Karian began. "We should continue our search."

Ben glanced up as the weight on his shoulders lifted and watched him climb down from the table. Taking the offered hand, the teenager stood as well and couldn't help but grin when his companion draped his arm around his waist. They had only walked a few feet when he felt Karian tense and concern crept into his eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Karian gave a barely perceptible shake of his head before tipping it to the side, listening. Without warning, he pulled Ben to the ground beneath him, using his own body as a shield. The teenager was about to protest when a bright flash struck the grass, leaving a charred patch of earth in its place.

Ben felt the pressure on his chest vanish as the vampire regained his feet and he rolled to the side before stopping in a crouch. They watched the rapidly approaching figure, both sets of emerald eyes focused on the weapon that was currently aimed in their direction. Karian let out a low growl, every muscle tense as their attacker stopped several yards away.

"What are you, the ghost kid's big brother?"

The voice was distinctly feminine, but held no small measure of contempt. She studied the pair again, realizing that her prey wasn't who she had assumed him to be, but the display within her helmet clearly showed that he wasn't alive. The way his eyes shifted into a deadly, green glow seemed to confirm her suspicions and she leveled the weapon on him again.

"Why do you people insist on making incorrect assumptions?" he snarled.

"Look, we didn't come out here looking for a fight," Ben interrupted, one hand hovering over the hologram displayed by the Omnitrix. "So, why don't you put the weapon away and we can talk about this, alright?"

"I don't negotiate with ghosts," she said flatly.

"What are you talking about?" Ben demanded. "We're not ghosts!"

"I know a ghost when I see one," she snapped.

"Apparently not," Karian said dryly. "I will give you once chance to lower your weapon before I take it from you."

His offer was met with another blast from the rifle, but by the time it reached his position, he was gone. Moving faster than either human could follow, he darted forward, using the table to help his ascent as he propelled himself upward. The Red Huntress gasped at the brief, but sharp pain in her wrist as the weapon was torn from her grasp and glanced around frantically for her adversaries.

The white-haired being was nowhere to be seen and a tall, violet figure stood where the teenager had been. Improvising, she sent a volley of rockets from her board towards the newest threat, but when the smoke cleared, it remained standing, apparently unharmed. Her eyes widened when it sent a beam of multi-colored light in her direction and she guided her transport to the left to evade the attack.

She wasn't as lucky when another beam struck the device, but something caught her before she could hit the ground. She knew better than to be relieved, but forced herself to remain calm when she stared up at the snarling visage above her.

Karian held her pinned to the ground, his glowing eyes unblinking as he glared at her. At that moment, his instincts were screaming at him to eliminate her and the more she struggled to break free of his grasp, the more appealing the idea sounded. A shadow fell over them and he caught a glimpse of Chromostone out of the corner of his eye, although his attention remained focused on their attacker.

"Let her up," the alien told him.

"So she can try once again to destroy us?" he countered, not looking up.

"I'm sure if we can talk about this calmly, then she'll stop," he stated, touching the emblem on his chest to revert back to his teenage appearance. "Right?"

The Huntress considered her options. If it came down to it, she could use the many features of her armor to escape, but the way she was pinned at the moment made it impossible for her to get a clear shot on either of them. The fact that at least one of them didn't want to continue the fight came as a small comfort, but the inhumanly strong grip on her arms was enough to remind her that things were going very badly at the moment.

"You win," she said finally. _For now_, she added silently.

"Let her up," Ben said once more. When the vampire growled in response, he stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Karian. Let her go."

"Very well," he conceded reluctantly. "But if she makes one threatening move…"

He left the threat hanging in the air, but forced his fangs to retract as the glow faded from his eyes. After another moment of hesitation, more to ensure that she understood his words than anything else, he rose to his feet and stepped back a few paces. He couldn't suppress a growl when Ben offered a hand to help the girl stand, but he folded his arms over his chest as he watched her.

"It'd be really nice if you'd explain why you attacked us," Ben told her.

"I hunt ghosts," she stated, as if it should be obvious. "When I see one, I get rid of it. It's not that hard to figure out."

"But I already told you, we're not ghosts," he insisted.

"You're not, but you need to explain how you turned into that… whatever it was," she began before motioning towards the vampire. "But he came up as dead on my scanner. Looks a lot like that ghost kid too, if you ask me."

"We didn't ask you," Karian stated, earning him a sharp look from Ben. "My apologies, Ben, but I grow weary of being confused with the ghosts that this place seems obsessed with. How in the name of the gods can I even be mistaken for a spirit? I can neither fly nor can I become incorporeal. While two of my kind can accomplish the latter, I'm far too young to even attempt such a thing."

"What's he talking about?" she asked, obviously confused by the rant.

"Long story," Ben said with a sigh.

"And not your concern," Karian added harshly. "We should be going," he continued. "We are wasting the night with meaningless prattle."

*****

Danny raced towards the sound of battle, his brow furrowed in concern when the noise abruptly ceased. He pushed himself to move faster as the park finally came into view, but came to an abrupt halt in midair when he saw the trio conversing on the grass. _Oh great,_ he thought. _Now they're making friends with Valerie?_

Drifting as close as he dared, his form faded from view. He watched them closely, straining to pick up the words exchanged and hoped that his presence hadn't been detected. For a moment, he almost thought he saw Karian glance in his direction, but it didn't seem possible. He _was_ invisible after all.

It seemed like he had arrived at the very end of their meeting. He heard Karian mention leaving and Ben's response confirmed the idea. The moonlight flashed off of a metallic object in the grass and he recognized it as one of her weapons. _So they did fight, _he mused. _Were they fighting each other or another ghost?_

"Don't even think about it."

The vampire's words brought his attention back to the discussion and he understood that the statement was a response to the Huntress' attempt to retrieve her gun. _That answers that question. _She froze and stepped back. It was only another handful of seconds before her armor produced another board and she wasted no time in departing.

"You can come out now, Danny," Karian stated. "She is a safe distance away."

He saw the confused look that Ben threw at his companion and slowly drifted to the ground. His form materialized as he approached and he cast a glance at the charred grass before settling his gaze on the pair.

"What happened?"

"We just got attacked by a ghost hunter," Ben told him.

"Apparently, she thought I was you," Karian added, scowling. He withdrew a flask from his back pocket, but his expression darkened when he tested the weight. "I have to go back," he said, glancing at Ben.

"Already?"

"I must have forgotten to refill this before we left this evening," he explained, setting the container back in its place. "I won't be long though."

Before either teenager could register the movement, he was gone, leaving them to watch each other with mutual curiosity and suspicion. Danny's eyes strayed to the discarded weapon, only to notice that it was no longer there. When Ben finally turned his head to glance in the direction he was sure the vampire had gone, Danny noticed the tiny scars on his neck.

"You're really okay with him being a...?" He trailed off, trying to wrap his mind around the concept.

"There's not much I can do about it," Ben replied, returning his attention to the half-ghost. "He's trying to be a good person, though. He's had a rough time of it for well... pretty much his whole life."

"Sam was telling me," he said, allowing the double rings to change his form. "We still don't know who attacked Dash and since he's the only vampire in town, it looks pretty bad."

"I know how it looks," Ben admitted. "But Karian wouldn't do something like that. I know him better than that. I'm more worried about the fact that ghosts have been causing trouble around here. Gwen told me that you two ran into one this afternoon. Where are they all coming from?"

"It's a long story," Danny said with a sigh. "Why don't we head over to Nasty Burger and I'll try to explain it."

*****

Down in the basement of Fenton Works, the Ghost Portal opened for the briefest of moments, long enough for a single figure to slip through. It had taken months, but he had finally managed to escape that horrid place. It was all wrong. He had known that the spirit realm awaited him when his life ended, but he never imagined it would be such a nightmarish dimension.

A sigh passed through his lips, an oddly human sensation for him, but it was a force of habit. His grey eyes held a hint of a glow as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings and he willed his form to become invisible as he passed by the couple working at one of the tables. Thankfully, they seemed oblivious to his presence.

Drifting upward, he passed through the ceiling into what he discovered to be a residence. _Interesting,_ he mused. The ghost continued forward, moving through the wall and out of the building. _At least I have somewhat of an idea of where I am,_ he mused, glancing up at the single moon.

Closing his eyes, he sent his senses out over the distance, trying to focus on a particular set of people. _They are here,_ he realized. _I have to find them before it's too late._

*****

"Wow," Danny said, obviously impressed. "You guys really stopped an alien invasion?" When Ben nodded, he shook his head slightly. "You're definitely not someone that I'd want to have to fight."

"Well, we don't really want to fight anyone," he admitted. "But we do what we have to in order to keep the Earth safe. What about what you've been doing around here? I mean, ghosts? The only time I even came close to fighting one of those is when Ghostfreak went rogue." He shuddered at the memory. "But that's why we'd make a good team. You're used to fighting ghosts, we're used to fighting aliens. If we work together, maybe we can make your job a little easier while we're here."

"I don't think your friends would agree," Danny replied. "Come to think of it, I don't think mine would either. Don't get me wrong here, but we haven't really gotten off to a good start."

"We can always start over," Ben offered with a smile. "It takes time for a team to really know how to work together, but if we're all willing to try, then it might make it a little easier."

*****

"Your plan has merit," Vaelaeli said, returning her attention to the basin of water. "If executed properly, there is a very good chance that it will be successful."

"Which is why I fail to see how you could be of any use to us," Darkstar said flatly.

"What I fail to see is why we're standing here in my backyard discussing this," Vlad snapped, straightening the jacket of his suit. "Why am I even listening to the ramblings of two children?"

"Mr. Masters," the girl began, "even if you were twice your current age, my years would still outnumber yours."

"You're not human, then," Darkstar concluded.

"Observant." Her lips curled into a slight grin, but she didn't lift her gaze to his. "To address your concerns, I know things that you do not, particularly about the abomination that is the Dusk Hunter. I know how to destroy him and once he has fallen, those who call themselves his allies will fall as well."

"And what does that have to do with me?" Vlad asked, folding his arms over his chest. "What interest could I possibly have in them?"

"Because it would appear that the young spirit has forged an alliance with them," she explained patiently. "At least he is on his way towards that decision. Now be quiet so I can concentrate."

Both men stood behind her and stared into the water. They watched her spread her hands over the basin and whisper words in a language beyond their comprehension. Darkstar could feel the power emanating from her form and it stirred the hunger within. It brought to mind thoughts of what it would feel like to take that energy into himself and make it his own.

Vlad felt no such yearnings. Instead, impatience gnawed at him and he suppressed the urge to have both of them thrown off of his property. However, he had to admit that their idea was brilliant. With the ghost child out of the way, he could carry out his own plans and finally find himself together with the love of his life. He kept these thoughts to himself and was brought back to the matter at hand when the girl spoke again.

"The gods have granted us luck," she told them in her light, melodic voice. "Our next target has presented itself."

Another few gestures and arcane syllables caused an image to appear above the water. It was hazy, semi-transparent, but easily recognizable. Darkstar arched a brow at the red-armored figure, but his questions were cut off by the billionaire.

"Not her," Vlad stated firmly. "She is too valuable of an asset."

"And she will remain valuable," Vaelaeli countered. "If the authorities in your world are halfway competent, then it is likely that she will survive." Glancing up finally, her gaze settled on Darkstar. "It will only take a moment for me to set the illusion in place and then we can be on our way."

*****

She was almost home. Only a few more blocks and she would cross the line into the next town and she would be able to rest. The encounter at the park had left her with much to consider. It was easy to determine what the white-haired man was. The fangs, if not his words, were a dead giveaway. However, his companion had left her baffled. She wasn't used to losing a fight like that, but she knew better than to ask questions when they decided to let her go. _It's not over,_ she vowed.

As her destination came into view, she breathed a sigh of relief, hoping her absence had gone unnoticed. A wave of pain coursed through her, using her own armor against her as she lost control of her board. The ground rushed up to meet her and she felt the wind escape her lungs as she landed hard against the pavement.

Before she could get a look at her attacker, dark energy surrounded her and she felt her armor slide away. Valerie managed to lift her head even as her strength was being drained by the strange beam. As her consciousness began to slip away, she caught a glimpse of emerald eyes glowing malevolently as they glared down at her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The conversation at the Nasty Burger had left Danny with a lot to think about. He would freely admit that he'd rather work with the team of Plumbers than against them, but the trick was convincing his friends that it was a good idea. _Tucker would probably go along with it,_ he thought. _It's going to take a lot of talking for Sam to agree, though_.

He continued his patrol over the town as he let his thoughts run their course. It had been quieter than normal lately. Aside from the unexplained attack on Dash and the appearance of the Box Ghost, there had been very little ghost activity. It seemed out of place. He had grown accustomed to fighting at least two or three ghosts a night, but none of his usual enemies had made an appearance in several days.

Danny slowed his pace, catching sight of a figure crouched on a nearby rooftop. Pausing, he watched the man straighten and turn to regard him. He knew almost immediately that he was dealing with a ghost, but the specter made no move to attack. Instead, they silently observed each other before the figure took a step towards him.

"Easy there, buddy," Danny warned, tensing in anticipation of battle.

"Peace," the spirit said. His accented voice was calm, but something in the faint glow of his eyes gave away his anxiety. "I was told you could help me. Gods know, I need all the help I can get right now."

Confusion danced across the teenager's features as he landed a few feet away. _It could be a trick,_ he told himself. The ghost looked sincere, though. _It can't hurt to hear him out. I can take him if it comes down to it._

"Alright," he told him. "I'm listening. Who are you and who told you that I'd be able to help you?"

"It wasn't supposed to be this way," the ghost began, shaking his head as he lowered his gaze. "Something bound me to your world instead of sending me to the Ancestors. The Spirit of Ages tried to explain it to me, but it was difficult to understand. He showed me what was happening here, but they will need your help to stop it."

"Wait, slow down a minute," Danny said, lifting a hand. "What are you talking about? The Spirit of Ages? I don't even know who that is."

"He who watches over time," he explained. "He showed me the possible future if things continue on their present course."

"You mean Clockwork?" It was starting to make at least a little more sense, but it still left too many questions unanswered. "Maybe you should start from the beginning."

*****

An hour had passed and the pair was still sitting on the edge of the roof. Danny looked down, slowly digesting the tale as he considered the implications of what the ghost had told him. If he was telling the truth, then it left him with almost no choice, except for calling on the Plumbers for help. The situation had more to do with them than it did with him, but the events unfolding in Amity Park demanded that he be involved.

"Why would you come to me first?" he asked finally. "Shouldn't you go right to them instead?"

"If I thought they would listen, then perhaps that would have been my first choice," the ghost replied. "My people do not trust lost spirits and bringing this to my friends without another voice of reason would cause more harm than good."

"So you want me to tell him?" He arched a white brow skeptically, almost certain that the idea would go over about as well as a ton of bricks. "The only one that might listen to me is Ben. His cousin might too, but there's no way the others will believe me."

"Perhaps they will when they realize what is at stake." He stared up at the sky, seeming to take in the foreign constellations as he continued. "The balance between the worlds is shifting. Even those in that horrid Ghost Zone can feel it. Have you not noticed the lack of activity here? While I am certain many of them would relish the thought of the imminent chaos, if their own destruction would accompany it, they will remain hidden until the troubles have passed."

"Come to think of it, I have noticed that," Danny said thoughtfully. Hearing the sound of his cell phone, he pulled the device from one of the nearly undetectable pockets of his black and silver suit. "Hey Sam, what's up?"

"Where are you?" she demanded.

"A couple of blocks from home," he replied, catching the concern in her voice. "What's going on?"

"We're on our way to the hospital," she explained. "They're taking Valerie into the ER. We found her at the edge of town when we were checking that end for ghost activity." She paused and he heard her take a deep breath. "Danny, I think she was attacked by the same thing that almost killed Dash."

"I'll meet you there," he told her before putting the phone away and looking at the ghost beside him. "I have to go. I can't make any promises, but I'll see what I can do."

*****

"Come on, Tucker," Sam said impatiently. "Stop being such a baby!"

"Can't I just wait out here?" he asked for the tenth time as she dragged him towards the entrance. "You don't really need me in there, do you?"

Sam turned to face him, but before she could continue her attempts to convince him to enter the hospital, she noticed the group crossing the parking lot towards them. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed the four people accompanying her friend and she stormed towards them.

"What are they doing here?" she demanded.

"We're trying to figure out what's going on," Ben told her, hoping to diffuse the situation.

"We already know what's going on," she retorted. "Your boyfriend is going around trying to eat people."

"I assume you have proof to back up your claims?" Karian remarked.

"Guys, let's try to look at this rationally," Gwen interrupted. "Why would he attack her?"

"Because she attacked him first," Danny said. He didn't like adding fuel to the fire, but he wanted all the facts on the table. "If you guys fought Valerie in the park earlier, that would give you a reason to strike back. Where did you go when you left the area?"

"I went back to the bus," he replied. "I had intended to meet up with Ben as soon as I had retrieved some of my supplies, but I ended up engaged in a discussion with Gwen and Kevin."

"He was there when you showed up, remember?" Kevin added.

"I remember," Danny said.

"What about the time in between?" Sam asked. "Did you go right from the park to the bus or did you follow her first?"

"I went directly to our vehicle," Karian replied, obviously losing patience. "Perhaps I should remind you that if I had intended to finish my dispute with the girl, she would be dead instead of being treated for her injuries."

"Not helping," Gwen told him.

"Look, we can work this out inside," Danny said. "I want to see how she's doing at least. Maybe then, we can figure out what the heck is going on."

As they headed into the building, Danny tried to piece together all of the evidence. It certainly looked incriminating, but he had no doubt that the vampire could have killed both Dash and Valerie if he really wanted to. The information the strange ghost had given him earlier also seemed to point to his innocence, but that would mean that he'd have to trust what he had been told.

They were asked to sit in the waiting room and both groups sat on opposite ends of the area. Sam continued to stare daggers at the vampire while the Plumbers quietly discussed their options. Tucker shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting to the door every few moments. Finally a nurse stepped through the double doors and addressed them.

"You can go see her now," she told them. "We can only allow two visitors at a time."

"I guess I'll just wait outside then," Tucker said as they stood. As he passed the Plumbers on his way to the door, Kevin grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back to the group. "Hey!"

"We're staying together," he stated. "We should have one from each team go in at a time."

"If I can pick up the scent of her attacker, I might be able to determine who we should be seeking," Karian said. "The more people who enter that room, the more I will have to sort through."

"No way," Sam protested. "We're going in first. You don't even know her."

"He has a point, Sam," Danny told her with a sigh before turning his gaze to the vampire. "I'm going in with you, though. If you even look like you're about to hurt her..."

"He won't," Ben insisted, glancing at Karian. "Right?"

"You have my word," he assured them.

*****

"What aren't you telling us, Danny?" Sam asked after they had left the hospital. "Why are you so willing to trust them all of a sudden?"

"I talked to Ben earlier," he told her. "After they had their fight with Valerie. They know what they're doing and after hearing some of the things they've handled, I'd rather be friends than enemies. That's not all." He paused, taking a deep breath as he tried to decide how best to explain it. "Have you noticed that we haven't had to fight many ghosts these past few days?"

"Now that you mention it," Tucker began. "It has been kind of quiet. I thought maybe they realized it was summer vacation and decided to take the time off."

"I think there's more to it than that," Danny replied.

"Think about it," Sam continued. "Don't you think it's just a little too convenient? I mean, he argued with Dash at the Nasty Burger and that night, he ends up in the hospital. And now with Valerie. They fought earlier tonight and she's in the same condition as Dash. What other explanation is there?"

"Perhaps he is being set up," another voice added, triggering Danny's Ghost Sense.

"That's the other thing," he said as he turned to face the ghost. "Guys, this is Dravias. I ran into him earlier and he said Clockwork sent him to help figure all of this out."

"Well met," the spirit greeted. "I assume these are your friends?"

"Interesting accent," Sam remarked.

"And not unfamiliar to you," he replied with a smile before turning his attention to Danny. "I have new information."

"Let's hear it."

"An enemy of yours and an enemy of ours have joined forces," Dravias explained. "I have not been able to determine their identities, but they are both powerful. However, there is a new threat that has joined their ranks, one who does not originate from your world. Again, they have all remained hidden and the only one who has the answer is unwilling to reveal it."

"Wow," Sam stated. "You've managed to be helpful and confusing at the same time."

He gave a noncommittal shrug of semi-transparent shoulders, but offered no further insight. Danny frowned as he considered the possibilities. _If most of the other ghosts are laying low in the Ghost Zone, who else would still be around to cause trouble?_ he wondered. The answer presented itself almost immediately and he lifted his gaze to regard his friends.

"Vlad," he said simply.

*****

"So much for super-sensitive vampire senses," Kevin remarked as he entered the code to unlock the bus.

"I suppose you could have done better," Karian retorted. "How was I to know they would be able to mask their scents?"

"So you could tell there's more than one, but you can't figure out who the hell they are?" he countered. "That's helpful. Remind me again why we brought you along?" When the vampire's eyes flashed in anger, he smirked. "Yeah, still not impressed. Get a new trick already."

"Knock it off," Ben interrupted, stepping between them. "Arguing about it isn't getting us anywhere."

"Yeah, well I say we pack up and get out of here before we get blamed for something else," Kevin stated as he climbed the stairs into the vehicle.

"We can't just leave now," Gwen replied, following him inside. "Someone is going out of their way to make it look like Karian is attacking people. If we leave, then who knows how many more people are going to get hurt? Not to mention that whoever it is might follow us to the next town, maybe even all the way back to Bellwood."

"Gwen's right," Ben agreed. "We need to stop them now before it spreads any further."

"We need to figure out a way to get them out in the open," she said thoughtfully.

"Let's just have Dracula here pick another fight with one of the locals," Kevin suggested with a smirk. "Seems like everyone he pisses off ends up in the hospital."

"That might actually work," Ben said with a smile, even as Karian let out a low growl. "If they're trying to cause problems for us, then we have to assume they know who we are. So, we'll need to find someone around here that we can trust enough to play the part. Gwen, see if you can find Danny. We might need his help with this one."

*****

"So you're sure he didn't do it?" Sam asked once more.

"I know him better than that," Dravias replied. "He is trying to make the most of his condition."

"Wait," she said, holding up a hand as she stopped. "You were his friend, weren't you? The one who came to Earth a few years ago with him, right?"

"He was like a brother to me," the ghost confirmed sadly. His expression changed as he looked up, a frown gracing his lips. "I must go for now." Before they could protest, he held out his hand, his fingers cupping an azure gemstone. "Give this to Karian when you see him," he told Danny, dropping the item into his palm. "Tell him it is from an old friend."

With that said, his form faded from view, leaving the trio to exchange a confused glance. The reason for his abrupt departure became apparent when the crimson and gold alien descended towards them. In a flash of green, Ben stood where the creature had landed and the look on his face told them that whatever he had to say was urgent.

"Sorry to just drop in on you like that," he began with a forced laugh before growing serious again. "We need to talk to you guys, but I think it'd be better if we go back to the bus."

*****

"This complicates things," Vaelaeli stated, leaning back from the basin.

"Now would be a good time for you to fill us in on what you saw," Darkstar remarked, rapidly losing patience with her.

"It would appear that another ghost has involved himself in our affairs," she explained. "We have already sown the seeds of mistrust, but I am starting to wonder if it will be enough." Glancing up at Vlad, she continued. "The half-breed and his friends are on their way to meet with the Plumbers. If you wanted to strike, this seems to be the opportune time."

"Not yet," Darkstar replied before the billionaire could respond. "We will wait and see how this meeting ends before we make a move against them."

"I don't believe she asked you," Vlad snapped.

He was losing patience with both of them. They had taken over his home and were now starting to exclude him from their planning. Vlad Masters would be no one's pawn. _I pull the strings,_ he thought angrily. _Let them play their games for now,_ he decided after a moment. _They will play right into my plans and then we'll see who comes out on top._ He kept his thoughts to himself as he returned his attention to the pair, feigning interest when the masked figure pressed the girl for more information.

"We should watch the meeting as it is happening," he said.

"Impossible," she replied. "There is too much technology within their vehicle. It interferes with the divination. You do realize that magic and technology seldom work well together."

"Mind your tone," he warned. "You may not be human, but it would take little effort for me to drain you of your power."

"You are welcome to try," she challenged with a humorless laugh. "Do you honestly think I would have approached you unprotected? I studied under the best magic-users of my homeland. Your attacks would barely scratch the surface of my Wards."

Vlad made a mental note not to allow her anywhere near his lab as he filed the information away for later reference. _The little witch thinks she has it all figured out_, he mused. _Obviously she never planned to match wits with Vlad Masters. _All he could do now was bide his time. He watched her gaze return to the basin of water and wished he could see what she was observing. All he could rely on was what she was telling them, but there was no way of knowing if her words were true.

"So, we just wait until one of them comes out?" Darkstar asked irritably.

"Patience, Dark One," she said with a slight smile. "Now is not the time to rush. That is how mistakes happen."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"You want to do what?" Danny asked in surprise.

"Think about it," Ben replied. "Someone obviously doesn't want us working together. If we can make it seem like we're arguing with either you or someone else in Amity Park, it might get them to come out in the open. The last two people Karian argued with were attacked, so we've already got a pattern."

"I nominate Paulina," Sam offered.

"We are not using Paulina as bait," Danny said firmly. "It's a safe bet that Vlad is at least partly responsible. If he's trying to use us against each other, then we need to make him think that it's working. He might not be playing with a full deck, but he's not a total idiot."

"But he ain't workin' alone," Kevin added.

"No," Danny confirmed. "He's got at least two other people working with him. I think one of them is an old enemy of yours and the other is from Dra..." He caught himself at the last moment and hoped the near slip-up would go unnoticed. "The other is from Karian's world."

"Where are you getting your information?" Gwen asked.

"You didn't just come up with this on your own," Kevin agreed. "Who gave you the tip?"

"The same person that gave me this," Danny replied, pulling the small gemstone from his pocket. Holding it out to Karian, he saw recognition flash in his emerald eyes. "He said to tell you it was from an old friend."

The vampire stared at the item, but made no move to take it. His eyes registered both shock and pain when they finally lifted to regard the half-ghost. He opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him. Shaking his head slightly, he tried again, managing to express a single question.

"How?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"You tell me," Danny stated. "You obviously know what it is and where it came from, so why are you asking me?"

"How did it come to be in your possession?" Karian clarified, slowly regaining his composure. "The one to whom it was entrusted crossed the Veil before the start of the season."

"I know," he replied with a nod. "He made it out of the Ghost Zone and found me. I think he's worried that you won't trust him because he's a ghost now."

"That's not possible," he snarled. "He should be at rest with our ancestors. He died honorably, so what could have held him here?"

""Look, I don't know why he stayed here," Danny insisted. "All I know is that something bad is going to happen and we have to stop it. Dravias said something about the balance between the worlds shifting. I don't know what that's supposed to mean, but I do know that it can't be good."

Karian couldn't bear to listen any further. In a single, fluid motion, he was on his feet and striding towards the back of the bus. The sound of the door between the sections slamming shut punctuated his departure and the teenagers exchanged a glance.

"I'll go talk to him," Ben said, starting to rise.

"You need to work this out," Gwen replied as she rested a hand on his arm. "Let me see if he'll talk to me instead."

"Are you sure she's going to be alright with him?" Danny asked, obviously concerned as he watched the door close again. "I mean, he's not exactly what I'd call stable..."

"Gwen can take care of herself," Kevin replied with a smirk before bringing them back to their current predicament. "This is the best idea we could come up with. If you've got something better, then let's hear it."

"I don't want to put anyone else in danger," he told them. "What I don't get is how they knew that you guys fought with anyone here, especially at the park. No one else was around when you ran into Valerie."

"We have to assume that we're being watched," Ben said, frowning. "That was something that's been bugging me too, but they've managed to keep track of our every move without giving themselves away."

"Dravias mentioned that someone from his world is helping them," he added, hoping it would help.

"Great," Kevin muttered, leaning back against the wall. "Half the people in his world use magic. They're probably using it to spy on us."

"Everyone knows magic isn't real," Tucker countered with a laugh.

"Tucker," Sam began with an exasperated sigh. "Your best friend is half ghost and we're sitting here talking to a group of aliens and a vampire. Do you really think it's a stretch that magic might be real too?"

"And I'm not talking about that David Copperfield crap," Kevin pointed out. "We've seen what this stuff can do. If these assholes are using magic, then we can't afford to screw around."

"Alright," Danny conceded. "We need to figure out who we can get to argue with you guys, then. We'll have to stay close just to make sure no one else gets hurt, though."

"The question is, who's going to start the fight?" Sam asked, glancing at her friends. "I don't think these people are going to attack you directly or else they would have done it by now. Tucker's too nice, so they won't buy it if he does it." She caught the look they were both giving her and shook her head vehemently. "No way..." When they grinned, she rose to her feet. "You want me to do it? I don't want to be bait!"

"Come on, Sam," Danny pleaded. "You already pointed out that I can't do it and Tucker won't be able to convince anyone. You're our best bet right now."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Kevin agreed before glancing at Ben. "All we gotta do now is wait for your better half to stop acting Emo so we can get this party started."

*****

"Hey," Gwen greeted as she closed the door. When he glanced up at her, she offered a small smile. "Mind if I sit with you?" She interpreted the roll of his shoulders as an affirmative response and lowered herself to sit beside him on the bed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly," Karian replied, looking away again.

"You're not alone, you know," she told him. "Part of being a team is that we're there for each other. That doesn't just mean that we back each other up when fighting aliens. If one of us has a problem, then we help find a solution."

"I fear I have been a fool," he said after a long stretch of silence. "You'd think I would have learned from my mistakes by now, but that doesn't seem to be the case."

"No one's perfect Karian," she assured him. "We all make our share of mistakes. It just means that you're still human where it counts."

"That's the other problem." Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet hers. "I'm losing control, Gwen. I thought I had a grip on it, but every night, I feel myself drifting closer to the edge. I almost allowed myself to kill that girl tonight. I _wanted_ to kill her. If Ben hadn't been there..." He shook his head, unable to look at her any longer. "He shouldn't have to act as my conscience all the time. I should be able to govern my own actions, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to deny what my instincts are telling me to do." Resting his elbows on his knees, he dropped his head into his hands. "I don't know how much longer I can continue this way."

Gwen felt her expression soften as she heard the anguish in his voice. He didn't flinch when she placed a comforting arm around his shoulders and she saw the drops of crimson slipping through his fingers.

"I can't begin to imagine how hard this is for you," she said softly. "But the important part is that you didn't hurt her. Even if it took Ben to stop you, you still listened to him. That means that you're trying your best. We're all here with you and none of us is going to let you do something that you're going to regret."

"What if I did hurt them?" he asked, keeping his gaze lowered. "What if I'm losing my sanity as well? I could have easily tracked them down and returned here before my absence was noticed. Is it possible that the beast within has been taking over my actions and leaving me with no memory of what has transpired?"

"I don't believe that," she replied honestly. "How many months have we been on this bus with you? One of us would have noticed if you've been disappearing and hurting people."

"I hope you're right," he said quietly. A knock on the door caused him to finally look up and he lifted a hand to brush away the tears. "They are waiting for us."

She nodded as they stood and gave him a moment to regain an outward appearance of calm. Gwen realized that it was a facade to hide the turmoil within him, but they both knew that they had other important matters to deal with. He led the way back to the door and they stepped into the next area of the vehicle.

"Everything alright?" Ben asked.

"I will be," Karian replied. "Whenever you're ready, we should get this over with."

"It'll have to look convincing," Danny said, setting the gemstone down on the table. "So, don't hold back unless you have to. Throw in a few insults too. That should make it really believable."

"You're enjoying this way too much," Sam remarked as she watched him crack his knuckles.

"Let's just hope that they haven't been watching this discussion," Karian stated.

"We'll find out soon enough," Ben added. "Everyone ready?"

"If you put one scratch on this bus," Kevin began, "I'll kick your ass for real."

"That's good," Tucker said with a grin. "Really believable."

"I don't think he was joking," Sam told him as they watched him enter the code to unlock the door.

"My apologies for this," Karian said, flashing a grin at her.

She found the gesture less than comforting as the door opened with a whisper. _Danny is going to owe me for the rest of his life for this one,_ she decided. The thought had barely crossed her mind when the interior of the bus erupted into chaos.

"Sam, Tucker, run!" Danny shouted, panic in his voice.

One look at the snarling vampire was enough of an incentive for her to heed the warning and she slipped past him to rush down the stairs. Tucker wasn't far behind and the confrontation spilled out into the parking lot. She risked a glance over her shoulder and watched the double rings pass over Danny's form as he followed them out. Facing forward again, she realized too late that one of their pursuers had managed to get in front of her and she crashed into Karian's chest.

"Silly girl," he said with a smirk as he grasped her shoulders. "You should know better than to run from a predator. It only adds the thrill of the chase to the situation."

"Get away from her!" Danny yelled, speeding towards them.

A blast of ecto-energy preceded him and struck Karian's arm with enough force to cause his grip to loosen. Danny's satisfaction was short-lived though, and thick, green vines coiled around him, stopping his flight. As he bounced back, he caught sight of Tucker, similarly ensnared in bands of pink energy. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea,_ he thought as he watched Kevin heading for his tech-loving friend. The older teen was covered with a black, metallic coating and Danny had no doubts that he could cause some serious damage.

"Danny!"

Sam's cry drew his attention away from his hurried observations and he looked over to see that Karian had backed her up against the bus. As he cast a glance at the plant-like alien that held him in its grasp, he knew it was time to get out of there. All it took was a little bit of concentration and his form faded from view, slipping through the vines that had trapped him. Realizing Sam appeared to be in more danger at the moment, he headed for her first, exerting some more effort to make her intangible as well.

"I'm not sure what you've heard," he began as they floated up and became visible once more. "But, vegetarians do _not_ taste better."

"You can't protect her forever," Karian countered with a growl.

Danny flew down towards where Tucker was being restrained, using the same trick to free him as well. By the time they had lifted away from the ground, he saw that the vampire had crouched on the roof of the vehicle, waiting for them to take a solid form. He moved to what he thought would be a safe distance away before he allowed himself and his friends to appear once more. The threatening grin on Karian's face caused him to rethink that move and he started to float backwards as he lunged towards them.

"No!" the alien's voice called as the same vines wrapped around the predator.

Wasting no more time, Danny turned and pulled his friends away from the scene. _That was a little too convincing_, he thought as he glanced at Sam and Tucker to make sure they were alright. Both of them looked a little shaken up, but that was to be expected. _I'm just glad that wasn't a real fight. Three aliens and a vampire and I'm the only one of us with ghost powers._

_*****_

"Do you think they bought it?" Ben asked once they were back inside the bus.

"It's too soon to tell," Gwen replied. "They might wait to get her alone before they make a move."

"You could've done better," Kevin remarked. "Why would you use Swampfire to fight a ghost? You knew he could get out of the vines and fly away. Should have used Jetray or Big Chill."

"Let's just hope whoever might have been watching doesn't think of that," Gwen said as she grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "We don't even know if they were watching at all."

"You could have hit Tucker," Ben pointed out.

"Didn't want to put him in the hospital," Kevin stated with a shrug.

"You pulled it off, though," Ben added, turning to Karian. "For a minute there, I thought you were really going to hurt her."

"For a minute there," the vampire repeated, not meeting his gaze, "so did I." He turned the gemstone over in his hand before finally looking up. "One of us should follow them, just in case they encounter any trouble on their way home. I think it would be best if I remained here."

"Is there something going on with you that we should know about?" he asked, frowning.

"It's nothing," Karian assured him. "I suppose I just have a lot on my mind as of late."

*****

"Very clever," Vaelaeli mused as she dismissed the images.

"You could have shown us all along," Darkstar stated, obviously displeased by the revelation.

"It takes more energy to bring others into the vision," she replied unapologetically. "I saw no need to do so until now."

"Why would they allow Daniel and his friends to escape?" Vlad asked.

"Because it was part of their ruse," she told him, rising from her seat on the grass. "Did nothing else seem out of place in that battle?"

"They were not fighting to win." Darkstar explained.

"So they think they can lure us into the open," Vlad surmised. "If we fail to take the bait, they'll think that we plan to change tactics, but if we do the same thing we've been doing, they'll believe that their little deception was a success. Decisions, decisions..."

"Perhaps the time has come to raise the stakes," Vaelaeli suggested. "They expect the girl to be followed and attacked, and so she shall be, but not by us. I have something better in mind."

Reaching into her traveling pack, she withdrew a frayed, leather-bound book. It only took a few moments for her to find the page she desired and she read the instructions carefully. With a gesture, she brought the image of the trio to hover above the basin once more before returning her attention to the yellowed page.

"You will want to watch this," she told them. "I am certain that it will keep you entertained for the time being."

*****

Although his heart no longer beat, it could still feel pain. He stared at the scene in horror, watching the events unfold and wishing he could do something about it. _Why would you do this?_ he wondered. _How could you have fallen into darkness so easily?_ The moment to act had passed, not that he would have been strong enough to do anything to prevent what was about to happen.

All he could do was watch as she began to weave through the arcane forces. To interrupt the spell could destroy her and he was unwilling to do that. Despite her actions, he couldn't deny the love that he felt for her. He only had one other option.

With shoulders slumped, Dravias cast one last look at them and then turned away. _I can not stop this, but at least I can provide them with some warning._


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Ok, this might be the last update for a few weeks. Today is moving day, so I'll be working on moving halfway across the country. Once I get my internet set up at the new house, I should have at least another update, but I'm not entirely sure when that will be. **

**Warning: Graphic violence and coarse language in this chapter.**

**Chapter Eight**

"Next time, you can face down the angry vampire," Sam stated as they walked towards her house.

"Hopefully, there won't be a next time," Danny replied.

"I'm just glad they're on our side," Tucker added.

"At least now we know that if they really wanted to cause trouble, they could have," Danny said with a sigh.

He glanced up as a shadow passed overhead and caught sight of the moth-like alien flying above them. It was good to know that they had backup if something decided to attack, but he wasn't sure how comfortable he was with the fact that they were being followed. _They're trying to help,_ he reminded himself. He felt the familiar chill rise from within seconds before a relatively familiar ghost appeared before them.

"We need to talk," Dravias stated, glancing up as Big Chill descended to meet them. "They are sending... something for you. I have only a vague idea of what it is, but it places all of you in danger. You need to get out of the open."

"Dravias?" Ben asked as soon as his form had changed. "So, you really are here..."

"Unfortunately," he replied before returning his attention to Danny. "We are wasting time here... They could be upon us at any moment."

"My house is right around the corner," Sam offered.

"I suggest that we hurry," the ghost advised.

The sudden gust of wind, accompanied by the dark clouds that obscured the moon, gave them all the incentive they needed and the group broke into a run. Rounding the corner, they pushed themselves to move faster, adrenaline and the fear of pursuit giving them the extra speed they needed to reach safety.

Sam gave one last glance at the street as she opened the front door, waiting for the others to enter before slamming it closed and sliding the lock into place. All she had seen were clouds of dust starting to take a vaguely humanoid shape, but she wasn't about to wait around for the figures to catch up.

Dravias slipped past her, pulling another gemstone from his pocket. Lifting the item, he held it in front of the door and watched as the wooden surface absorbed the crystal. A glyph flashed briefly before vanishing and he turned to regard them.

"That should keep out any uninvited guests," he began. "Is there a place where we could speak uninterrupted and unobserved?"

"Downstairs," Sam replied, leading the way.

"You have your own movie theater?" Ben asked once they were in the lower level of the building.

"Hardly important at this time," Dravias stated. "You have made some dangerous enemies."

"Tell me something I don't know," Danny said, dropping into one of the chairs. "You found out who they are, didn't you?"

"Yes," he replied. "When you mentioned the name Vlad, I made the assumption that it was the same one who has been spoken of throughout the Spirit Realm. He has joined with two others, though." Glancing to Ben, he continued. "The man in black... the one who wears the metal mask is among them."

"You mean Darkstar?" Green eyes widened for a moment. "How did he find us all the way out here?"

"I do not know," the ghost admitted. "There is another, though, and she is just as dangerous as the others, if not more."

"Wait," Danny interrupted. "Who the heck is Darkstar?"

"His real name is Michael Morningstar," Ben explained. "We fought him a couple of times back in Bellwood. He's strong, but we've beaten him before. He was a Plumber's kid and has powers too. The bad part is that he uses them to suck the energy out of people. Dealing with him alone is a royal pain, but we can manage. If he's teamed up with this Vlad person, then we definitely have our work cut out for us." His attention returned to Dravias as he spoke again. "I'm more worried about who this third person is. Did you get a good look at her?"

"I did." He seemed unwilling to elaborate, but his resolve faltered when he met their expectant gazes. "It was my wife."

*****

Gwen set her cell phone down and considered the information that her cousin had provided. Kevin was watching her closely, waiting for her to explain what was going on, but a glance at Karian told him that the news wasn't good at all. The vampire was shaking his head in denial, surprise clearly written on his features.

"This is bad," Gwen said, stating the obvious. Glancing up at Kevin, she took a deep breath before speaking again. "Darkstar is working with another half-ghost, some Vlad person. Apparently, this guy has it in for Danny and wants him out of the way for some reason or another."

"Morningstar's a wuss," Kevin replied with a shrug. "We can handle him and his buddy if it comes down to it."

"There's more," she promised. "Kevin, Abigalia is with them. It sounds like she's completely lost it. She's gotten stronger since the last time we've seen her too."

"Why?" Karian asked softly. "It makes no sense..."

"I don't know," Gwen admitted, placing a hand on his arm. "We're going to figure this out, though."

"If I could just speak with her," he continued. "Perhaps I could find out what prompted her to do this. There has to be a reason."

"Talking ain't gonna do much good," Kevin said. "If she's gone dark, then we're gonna have to take her down with the rest of them."

"No!" Wood splintered as he slammed his fist down on the table. "There must be another way."

"I don't want to fight her either," Gwen told him, remaining calm despite his outburst. "But I think Kevin might be right on this one. If she's gone so far as to work with them, then I don't think talking is an option anymore. People have already gotten hurt. We need to stop them before it happens again."

"No," he repeated, rising from the table.

"Where are you going?" she asked, watching him head for the door.

"I need some air," he stated as he descended the stairs.

"Right," Kevin said. He gave him a moment before following, glancing at Gwen. "I'm going after him before he ends up killing someone."

*****

"It doesn't fit," Danny stated. "Vlad usually works alone and there's no way he'd take a backseat to someone else's plans."

"All I know is what I saw," Dravias replied. "It is possible that he is going along with their ideas while working on his own agenda."

"It's a start," Sam said. "But he usually doesn't go this far. Most of the time, he just tries to kill Danny."

"Or my dad," he added. "He's been obsessed with my mom ever since they were in school."

"Then we might want to keep an eye on your parents too," Ben told him. "If he's been after her for this long, it's only a matter of time before your dad becomes a target. I think the only reason they haven't tried anything with him is because it doesn't fit into their plans. It looks like they've been trying to frame Karian to keep us from teaming up."

"Divide and conquer," Tucker agreed. "It makes sense in an evil, twisted sort of way."

"They know that you have discovered their ruse, though," Dravias countered. "Which means they will start to escalate things."

"We can't let that happen," Danny decided. "If they want a fight, we'll give them one and we'll bring it right to Vlad's doorstep if we have to."

"The question is, when?" Ben asked. "We need time to prepare and we need to know if anyone else is hiding in the background that we don't know about yet."

"I will go back, then," Dravias said. "I only noticed the three of them, but I did not go inside the residence. I will return as soon as I learn more."

*****

Kevin checked the grid displayed by his badge, noting the three different dots. The signal from the Omnitrix was different than the other two and placed Ben in one of the residential areas of town. Of the other two, one was blinking where the bus was parked and the other was on the other end of town. _Of course he'd be all the way over there already,_ he thought with a scowl. _Couldn't make this easy on me, could he?_

Shaking his head, he continued through the town, ignoring the wind that seemed determine to push him off balance. He lifted a hand to brush his hair out of his eyes and glanced up at the dark clouds that had gathered in the sky. _Let's get this over with before we get soaked._ It didn't take long for him to reach his destination and he climbed the hill behind the Observatory to find him sitting on the edge of the overlook.

"You know," he began. "This feeling sorry for yourself crap is getting old."

"What do you want, Kevin?" Karian asked, not looking at him.

"I want you to stop whining whenever you hear something you don't like," the teen said simply. "You've had a rough life. We get it. Join the club. That doesn't mean you gotta sit in the corner and cry every time life hits you with another sucker punch."

"What would you have me do?" he snarled, standing in front him before Kevin could even blink. "Do you expect me to turn my back on the only family I've known and fight his wife?"

"I expect you to do what you signed up to do when you got your badge," he retorted, not backing down. "We're supposed to protect the Earth, remember? The elf went off her rocker and is going around trying to kill people. I'd say that fits our job description pretty damn well."

"Every time I fight someone, I come that much closer to committing murder," Karian told him. "I can barely exercise restraint anymore. I will not risk losing the little bit of humanity I still possess."

"None of us are going to let that happen," Kevin stated. "We ain't gonna let you do something that stupid."

"Why do you even care?" he countered. "You don't even like me."

"You're right, I don't," he admitted. "But Tennyson does and Gwen thinks you're halfway decent when you're not trying to eat her cousin, so I guess I'm outvoted. 'Sides, we're a team and we look out for each other even if we don't get always get along."

"It amazes me how you can be both reassuring and insulting at the same time," the vampire said dryly.

"It's a talent," he replied with a smirk. "Let's get going. It looks like it's about to pour any minute now."

"This is no natural storm," Karian remarked, glancing up at the sky.

"All the more reason to get the hell out of here."

"No time."

Karian stared past him at the swirling mist and a growl rumbled within his chest. Kevin turned, following his gaze and watched the haze condense into solid shapes. Both creatures stood at his height, each with a set of dark, leathery wings stretched out behind them. Their faces remained unclear, but he was sure they were about to reveal something monstrous at any moment.

"Find something to absorb," the vampire said as his eyes began to glow. "We're not getting out of here without a fight."

"What the hell are those things?"

The two beasts had almost finished forming, black and orange scales covering their arms and legs. Each arm ended in a taloned hand with matching claws digging into the ground from their feet.

"Demons," Karian replied, withdrawing the twin daggers from his belt.

Looking at the burning red eyes that were focused on him, Kevin thought they certainly looked demonic. _This is now at the top of the list of worst road trips ever,_ he thought, rushing past them towards the Observatory. He could hear their pursuit as he neared the structure and quickly placed his hands on the metal exterior. A clawed hand grabbed his shoulder barely a second after the steel coating formed over his skin and he wrenched himself free, turning to slam his fist into its face.

The demon staggered back a single step before advancing again and Kevin ducked to avoid the slash of its talons. He landed a solid punch in what he assumed to be its ribs, but the beast barely even registered the strike. It gave a wicked grin, its lips curling up around its tusks, and lunged for him once more.

Karian was faring better with his opponent. Vampiric speed gave him an advantage over his demonic adversary and after several strikes, his daggers had started cutting through the armored scales. They fell in flakes, littering the grass with black and orange, and were soon joined by drops of thick, acidic fluid. The dark blood burned on his fingertips, but he ignored the pain as he continued his furious assault.

Over near the building, Kevin was starting to see signs of damage on the beast. He felt the sting of claws tearing through his skin and glanced down to see the holes in the metal over his shoulder. Narrowing his eyes, he brought his fist around again, managing to knock one of the tusks off of its ugly face. A smirk of satisfaction lasted until it leaned forward and sank its teeth into the newly exposed flesh.

Pain coursed down his shoulder and he used his other hand to beat the side of its head repeatedly. After longer than he would have liked, it let go and he dropped down to duck under its arm. As he came back up, his boot slammed into the back of its leg, shattering the knee and he watched the creature fall with a howl of agony.

After sending a kick to its head, just for good measure, he turned to watch the vampire finish off the second demon. There was no doubt in his mind that the creature was dead and he tore his gaze away from the dull, crimson eyes to see what damage, if any, Karian had sustained.

The skin on his hands had started to burn away, exposing the white bone of his knuckles, but the process of healing had already begun. There were holes and singed flesh in various places of his shirt where blood had splattered on him and several spots were visible on his face. The vampire seemed about to say something, but paused, staring down at the sizzling liquid on the ground. His eyes registered alarm when they lifted to regard Kevin and he rushed forward, grabbing the teenager by the arm.

"Wait, what the hell are you...?"

He wasn't given time to complete the question when he was thrown to the ground around the side of the building. The explosion answered his protests and he was thankful for both the cover the building provided as well as the steel coating his skin when the demon blood rained down around them. Karian was back on his feet and pulled his ruined shirt over his head, using the cloth to wipe away the fluid before it could cause any more damage.

"Exploding demons?!" Kevin shouted. "Who the hell said they could send exploding fucking demons after us?"

"Whatever gods Abigalia has bargained with to obtain her power," Karian replied shakily.

He tossed the tattered garment aside and leaned over, resting his hands on his knees. With the danger passed, his strength began to give out and he dropped down to kneel on the grass. The skin on his hands and face was healer slower than expected and Kevin watched him cautiously as the metal retreated from his own body.

"What kind of god would let her call something like that?"

"Not all gods are benevolent, Kevin." He lifted his head and glanced over at him. "We need to get back. It's not safe out here."

"You think?" he snapped. Catching the hidden meaning of his words, he frowned. "You look like hell. Let's go." Rising to his feet, he helped the vampire to stand and they started back down the hill. "If you even think about biting me, I'll knock those fangs down your throat."

*****

Vaelaeli swore under her breath as she dismissed the image and lifted her gaze to regard them. It was only by sheer luck that her enemies had managed to escape. Next time, it would be different.

"They survived," she told them.

"Then now we do things my way," Darkstar replied.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Well, I'm finally back. Sorry it took so long to get this posted, but life has been busy for me these past few months (moving halfway across the country, working on the new house, finding employment, etc). But, I've got a little bit of downtime now, so hopefully, updates won't take as long from here on out. Enjoy!

_Previous disclaimers still apply._

**Chapter Nine**

"What happened to you two?" Gwen asked as the pair stumbled up the stairs into the vehicle.

"Guess who has pet demons," Kevin replied. "Pet demons that blow up."

"You're kidding..." One look at them contradicted her hope that his explanation wasn't serious and she watched Karian stagger to the refrigerator. "Are you guys alright?"

"We'll be fine," Kevin said with a shrug before wincing at the pain in his shoulder. "Ugly son of a bitch bit me, though. I gotta go bandage this thing now."

Gwen watched him head towards the back of the bus and turned her gaze to Karian. He had already emptied one of the bottles, leaving it discarded on the counter, and was quickly draining another. Muscle began to cover the exposed bone on his fingers, followed by the gradual healing of the burned skin.

"We should put the bus on lock-down," she suggested when he was finished. "I'm going to call Ben and fill him in on what happened."

"It might be best for our new associates to stay here until we decide how best to deal with this situation," he told her, turning to lean back against the counter. "If they are here, at least we can ensure their safety."

"What about their families?" she asked. "We can't fit everyone in here and something might go after their parents if they can't get to us."

"That does present a problem," he replied, his brow furrowed in thought. "When you speak with Ben, tell him I will meet him at his location in twenty minutes." Turning away, his steps brought him to the partition between the sections. "For now, I need to kick Kevin out of the bathroom so I can wash the rest of this blood off."

*****

"Karian's on his way over," Ben told them, setting the phone down. "It's getting worse. He and Kevin were attacked over by the Observatory, but it sounds like they're alright."

"I have to get home," Danny said. "If I break curfew again, I'll be grounded for a month."

"With everything else going on," Sam began, "curfew should be the least of your worries."

"Just tell your parents you're staying with us for the night," Ben offered. "I mean, how often does a bus full of alien tech pull up in town? Well, don't tell them that part, but you get the idea."

"It's worth a try," he agreed.

As he dialed the number, the doorbell sounded and Sam hurried up the stairs, hoping to reach it before her parents. Rushing past them, she pulled the door open to regard their visitor. He offered a strained smile and stepped forward, only to be stopped by an invisible barrier. Seeing the confusion on his face, Sam took a step back.

"Do I have to invite you inside?" she asked.

"Usually, no," Karian replied. "Is there a Ward in place?"

"A what?" Dravias' words crossed her mind and she smiled a little. "It really does keep out uninvited guests," she mused. "Alright, well, I guess you're invited."

"Many thanks," he told her as he crossed the threshold.

She led him down into the basement, hiding her unease at his silent movements. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure he was still following, she stepped into the theater and then returned her attention to her friends. Danny's smile told her that his parents had agreed to let him stay out and she watched Ben stand to approach their latest arrival.

"Gwen said you guys put the bus in lock-down," he began. "How bad was it?"

"I went through two bottles immediately upon our return," Karian replied. "However, I still don't feel completely healed." He paused, glancing down for a moment before meeting his gaze again. "Ben, I don't want to do this anymore than you do, but I think it is time to make the call."

"What call?" Danny asked, moving over to join them.

"Not yet," Ben said before looking to Danny. "We have a couple of people we've worked with in the past, but they're a last resort."

"Don't you think we could use all the help we can get right now?" Sam interrupted.

"She has a point," Karian pressed.

"It's not worth it," Ben argued. "You didn't see what he did to that Highbreed back in Los Soledad, and that was just because he didn't like its answer."

"No, but I am fully aware of what they can do," the vampire conceded. "We are dealing with something beyond our experience, though. While we have battled with Darkstar prior to this," he glanced at Danny as he continued, "and you have had dealings with one of his cohorts, the fact that Abigalia has been granted the ability to summon demons is not something to take lightly."

"Is anyone else confused?" Tucker asked, looking up at them.

"Yeah," Danny told him as he frowned. "Maybe we should take a vote on this. Why don't you tell us who you're talking about and then we can make a decision."

"Thinking before acting," Sam remarked. "I'm impressed."

"Very well," Karian said. "I suggested that we request assistance from the rulers of my homeland. They have aided us in the past when the Earth was facing an invasion."

"Don't they have other things to do, though?" Sam countered. "If they rule your world, then I'm sure they're pretty busy."

"Probably," Ben agreed.

"Given the fact that the daughter of one of their Advisors is now among our enemies," Karian explained, "it would be in their best interests to get involved."

"What aren't you telling us?" Danny asked. "If they have a reason to help us, and we know we need it, why don't you want to ask them?"

"They are the oldest of my kind," the vampire said. "They do not think like you do. While Lady Konistav would likely try to find a solution without killing them, her husband does not hold the same ideals."

"Let's just say that his moral compass doesn't exactly point north," Ben added.

"How far off are we talking here?" Tucker asked. "Is it more like northeast?"

"It depends on his mood," Karian replied.

"Think of what a compass would do at the north pole," Ben told him. "The point is, as much as they could help us, they're also dangerous and unpredictable. We want to try to resolve this without anyone getting killed."

"It sounds like we should avoid asking them unless we have to," Danny stated.

"Very well," Karian said, his shoulders rolling in a shrug. "I suggest we remain as a group until we decide what it is we plan to do."

"Good idea," Ben agreed. "You guys can stay with us if you want; at least until we make a decision."

"What about their families?" the vampire asked. "There's no way we can convince them to stay together without telling them exactly what we're dealing with. We need to act and the sooner, the better."

"Then we need to get back and talk it over with Gwen and Kevin so we can come up with a plan," he replied.

"Then why are we still standing here?" Danny said with a grin. "Let's get going."

"Right," Ben agreed. "We're going to need to move as fast as possible without splitting up. Everyone, stay together and look out for each other, alright?"

*****

Karian remained outside of the bus for a few minutes after the others had gone inside. The conversation inside took a backseat to the information he was receiving over the phone. With a growl and a muttered curse, he disconnected the call and slid the item into his pocket before climbing the stairs.

"What was that all about?" Ben asked as he watched him reset the security system.

"Orders from home," he replied.

"What kind of orders?" Kevin pressed, arching a brow.

"Apparently, Abigalia fled Evemyst a month ago," Karian explained. "She is sought for several crimes and the Elders are trying to discover her whereabouts at this time. My sister tells me that the Konistavs are remaining neutral for the time being, but have requested that I apprehend the wayward elf and turn her over to them. It has not been decided whether they will have her sent to her own people or if they are going to deal with her themselves. Given their political position, it's a difficult choice to make."

"Gotta love politics," Sam remarked with a sigh. "So why don't they just catch her themselves?"

"If we have an Elven war party show up in the middle of town, it's going to get noticed," Gwen told her. "International incident wouldn't even begin to cover it."

"They want this kept quiet from Earth," Ben added. "I guess since we already know them and technically it fits our job description, it's up to us to handle it."

"How do they even know she's here?" Danny asked.

"They were unable to locate her in Zalyndrya," Karian replied. "This was the next logical location so naturally, they would look here."

"We don't have to take orders from them," Kevin pointed out.

"You don't," he agreed. "But I do, especially considering the fact that Lord Konistav is the one who turned me. I have little choice in the matter."

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" he countered.

"More than you realize," the vampire stated. "What you fail to understand is that for at least another century, he could command me to do whatever he wanted and I would have to carry out his wishes. I'm not nearly old enough, or strong enough, to resist such things."

"Let me guess," Danny began. "He's the kind of guy that would actually use that if it would get him what he wanted?"

"The gods only know," Karian replied. "But it is not a risk that I'm willing to take. At least if I agree to do this, then I can fool myself into thinking it was my choice to make."

"That doesn't seem very fair," Sam said.

"I learned a long time ago that life is seldom fair," he told her. "It makes no difference if you're alive or undead."

"**Perimeter motion detected**_**,**_" the mechanical voice announced from the main console. "**Arm eternal defenses?**"

Kevin moved to the front of the vehicle and punched in the command on the keypad. A screen lowered from the ceiling, displaying the rapidly approaching car. He glanced over to the others as Danny and Tucker joined him, arching a brow.

"That's Jazz's car," Danny told him.

"What's she doing out here?" Kevin asked, scowling.

"**Arm external defenses?**" the computer repeated.

"Stand by," Kevin replied. "Drop to Level One."

He entered another code and the door opened. Danny rushed down the stairs to meet her, pausing when he felt the chill of his Ghost Sense. Glancing past her, he watched Dravias materialize on the other side of her car as she rushed over to him. The look on her face caught him by surprise and a feeling of dread settled in the pit of his stomach.

"What's wrong?" he asked. When she didn't immediately respond, the feeling intensified. "Jazz, what happened?"

"They're gone," she said, tears welling in her eyes. "Mom and Dad… Something took them. I got home and the house was a wreck." Reaching into her pocket, she withdrew a small, silver disk. "This was sitting on the kitchen table."

"Hey," Kevin called from the doorway. "You think you might want to come inside sometime tonight before we get attacked again?"

"Get on the bus," Danny told her. "I'll be right behind you."

Jazz nodded and climbed the stairs. Her steps faltered when she realized all eyes were focused on her and she glanced over her shoulder to watch her brother exchange a few words with the strange figure she had failed to notice.

"There's a message on there." Kevin's voice caused her to turn to face him and she watched him hold his hand out. "Let me see it." His eyes flicked to the side as Danny reentered the vehicle and he turned back to the main console. "Security Level Eight. Full lock-down."

"**Lock down initiated**," the computer replied.

Thick metal panels slid over the windows as the interior lights brightened to compensate for the lack of moonlight. Jazz handed the disk to the taller teen, but stayed close to her brother as Kevin set the item down on the table. Pressing a button on the side, he stepped back, his eyes narrowing when the familiar figure appeared above the center.

"If you have received this," Darkstar began, "then you must have realized that your parents are missing. Rest assured they are safe… For now. They will remain alive, provided that you follow my instructions without exception."

"Son of a bitch…" Kevin muttered. "Couldn't come after us like a decent person…"

"If you can figure out where we are, then bring the Plumbers to my location," the image continued. "You have twenty-four hours to deliver them in exchange for your parents."

"You should have let me kill him," Karian stated as the transmission ended.

"That's not how we do things," Ben reminded him.

"That's not really the point right now," Gwen interrupted, bringing them back to the situation at hand. "We need to figure out where Darkstar would have taken them and we need a plan."

"I know where they are," Danny said. When they all looked at him, he took a deep breath. "They're in Wisconsin, at Vlad Masters' estate." Turning to his sister, he continued. "Jazz, take Sam and Tucker home. I'm going to take care of this."

"We're going with you," Sam protested.

"Danny's right," Gwen told her. "It's too dangerous. We don't want any of you getting hurt."

"If they want to deal with exploding demons, that's their choice," Kevin said with a shrug.

"We are wasting time arguing about it," Karian pointed out.

"Then let's stop arguing and start planning," Ben suggested.

"With all the gadgets you guys have," Tucker began, "can't we just drive in there and take them back?"

"We have to expect a trap," Danny told him. "There's no way they'd make it that easy. They have to already know that we're not going to just hand you over, even if we could. I have to get Mom and Dad out of there though."

"Then let's go get them," Ben stated.

*****

"How long must we keep them here?" Vaelaeli asked.

"I gave them until tomorrow night," Darkstar replied.

"I expect they will show up long before then," Vlad added, turning towards the mansion. "Even if the others don't come, young Daniel will certainly make an attempt to rescue his parents."

He didn't wait for a response. Instead, a hint of a grin found its way onto his lips as he entered the building. Heading into his study, he reached forward, pulling the item on the mantle to access his lab. As his steps echoed on the stairs, he let his mind wander to the plan his associates had devised. _They can do whatever they want with the others,_ he thought. _Maybe those Plumbers of theirs can get them out of my way instead. Either way, it won't matter when everything is said and done._

Vlad came to a halt outside of the small room and looked through the window. He knew that the occupants couldn't see him through the glass, but his grin widened. _You'll have a more comfortable place to rest soon, Maddie. But as for you, Jack… I have something special in mind for you._


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"Get what you need and get back out," Kevin said. "We're gonna want to be there by midnight and I'm already gonna have to ignore the speed limit."

Danny nodded and rushed down the stairs. As soon as the door had closed, Kevin reset the security codes on the bus. The tension was thick within the vehicle as both groups waited. For the ghost hunters, the sheer enormity of the task ahead was sobering. They had only just begun to realize what they were about to be facing. However, the Plumbers took the situation as a reminder of what exactly was at stake. They had witnessed firsthand the price that they would pay if they failed this mission.

"So I already know that you're all at least part alien," Jazz began, breaking the silence as she looked at Karian. "But what are you exactly?"

"That ain't V8 that he's drinking," Kevin answered for him.

"I don't..." she began before pausing. Her eyes widened when she realized his meaning and she looked around at the others.

"Don't believe everything you read in storybooks," Karian told her. As he held up the clear, plastic bottle and swirled the crimson contents, he continued. "This is generally how I take my breakfast."

He leaned back against the sofa, his other hand turning the azure gemstone over in his palm. Kevin had turned his attention back to the perimeter cameras and an anxious silence fell over the group once more. The only sound within the confines of the bus was the whirl of the blender as Ben mixed another pitcher of homemade smoothie. Finally, the armored panels slid back from the windows and the door swung open.

"Took you long enough," Kevin grumbled, quickly setting the security measures back in place.

Danny didn't respond except for a roll of his eyes as he dropped the equipment onto the table. He steadied himself with a hand on the wall as the bus lurched forward, almost certain that the older teenager was trying to throw him off balance just for kicks. Sliding into the chair at the table, he took a moment to study the present company.

"We need a plan," he stated.

"Well, we know how to beat Darkstar," Ben began. "And I'm going to guess that you've had your share of run-ins with Vlad. So, I think the best way to handle this is to stick with what we know. Gwen, Kevin, and I will go after Darkstar while you, Sam, and Tucker can take Vlad out of the picture. That'll only leave Abigalia to deal with."

"I will handle her," Karian said. Meeting their questioning gazes, he held up the gemstone. "This will negate any Wards that she has in place, and make no mistake, she will be heavily Warded. With those taken down, then it'll simply be a contest of speed and strength. I'm fairly certain that I hold the advantage there."

"What about me?" Jazz spoke up. "What do you need me to do?"

"I would suggest that you remain here," the vampire advised. "The rest of us have seen battle, some more than others. The safest place for you to be would be in this vehicle to make sure that our enemies don't try to use it to their advantage."

"No way," she protested. "I'm not going to sit back while everyone else is fighting. Those are my parents that they have too. If they had your family, wouldn't you go in there after them?"

"My family was murdered when I was six summers old," he said flatly. "So, I wouldn't know." Seeing the expression on her face, he held up a hand and shook his head. "My apologies. You did not know about that. Nonetheless, if you are not used to fighting adversaries with the abilities we will be facing, I fear that your presence would be detrimental to our cause. The last thing we need is for them to take another hostage."

"I'm not staying behind," she said firmly, looking around at the others for support.

"Do you know any first aid?" Gwen asked her. When Jazz nodded, she offered a smile. "Just in case something happens to one of us, it might be a good idea to have you there."

"Don't forget what happened at the Observatory," Kevin reminded. "If she can send those things all the way out there..."

"Then she probably has them all around at Vlad's," Ben concluded. "Alright, we'll stick with the original plan for now. Jazz, you stay close to Gwen and make sure you have a weapon. We'll put the first aid kit in a backpack for you. If we run into any of those demons, then we'll take them down as quickly as we can."

"Don't let them bleed on you," Karian cautioned. "Their blood is corrosive."

"And they blow up when you think they're dead," Kevin added.

"Eww," Sam remarked. She looked at Danny across the table and noticed the concern etched into his features. Reaching around the pile of ghost-hunting gear, she placed her hand on his. "We'll get them out of there," she assured him.

"This just isn't Vlad's style," he said. "I mean, he's tried stealing Mom away before, but this just doesn't fit."

"It might not be the way he usually works," Gwen agreed. "But Darkstar has tried this trick before."

"How did you get everyone out last time?" Danny asked.

"We had some help," Ben admitted.

"Well, you've got help again this time," Sam stated. "There's only three of them and eight of us."

"Three of them plus whatever creatures Abigalia has summoned to their aid," Karian clarified. "This will be no easy task."

"Enough with the doom and gloom already," Tucker interrupted. "We'll go in there, pound the bad guys, rescue Mr. and Mrs. Fenton and we'll be back before morning."

He was sitting shotgun as the bus began picking up speed and leaned back in the chair. It took an enormous amount of self-restraint to refrain from repeatedly asking what each of the many buttons on the main console would do. Kevin's unwavering scowl was enough of a deterrent, though. All Tucker could do was study the various controls and speculate on what their purposes might be.

"Get some rest. I can drive most of the way."

Tucker nearly jumped out of the chair at the sound of the voice that had been at the other end of the vehicle only moments before. His nonchalant manner evaporated quickly as the memory of the recent, staged fight came rushing back to the forefront of his mind. Thankfully, he wasn't the subject of the vampire's attention.

"You know how to get there?" Kevin asked.

"We have a navigation system," Karian replied with a shrug. "Considering what we're heading into, we should be as well-rested as possible."

"I don't think I could sleep if I wanted to right now," Danny said.

"Then check your gear and make sure it's working right," Kevin told him, stepping around Karian to trade off driving duties. "I'm gonna start getting ours together."

"Between all of us, we should have enough firepower to make this work," Ben pointed out.

"We have enough firepower in this thing's defense systems to leave a crater when we're done," Kevin countered with a smirk.

"Just make sure you wait until after we get Danny's parents out of there before you try to blow the place up," Sam said.

*****

The digital clock in the middle of the main console read 23:45, fifteen minutes before their anticipated arrival. Karian had parked the bus in an open lot, just under a mile from their destination. Kevin stood in front of the entertainment center, pressing a specific set of numbers on the remote.

The flat-screen TV slid up to the ceiling, turning to rest out of the way. Shelves retracted into the wall and to the sides and revealed the hidden compartment that stored the bulk of the Plumber team's weapons stash. Reaching into the area, Kevin started pulling down various items and setting them aside.

"How many projectors do we need?" he asked.

"How many do we have?" Ben countered.

"Four standard-issue and three relics."

"Might as well grab them all," Gwen offered. "We can use the older ones since we're used to dealing with the tech."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tucker began. "But what I wouldn't give to get my hands on some of this. Think you might be able to spare a little bit when this is over?"

"Let's get through it first and then we'll see what kind of deal we can work out," Kevin told him as he started gathering more equipment.

"What exactly does this do?" Danny asked as he was handed one of the devices.

"It's a Null-Void Projector," Ben explained. "It'll open up a gateway right to the Null Void and suck in whatever you're aiming at."

"A what?" Sam gave a look of confusion as she took one as well.

"It's a pocket dimension," Gwen said.

"It's basically where you end up when you break intergalactic laws," Kevin added. "Not a fun place to be. Trust me." Looking over at the other members of his group, he continued. "We gotta play this careful though."

"Right," Ben agreed. "Capturing Darkstar with one of these is justifiable since he's supposed to be serving a sentence there. I'm not so sure about Vlad, though."

"Harboring a fugitive," the older teen stated. "It's a cheap shot, but it counts."

"I brought along a few of these too," Danny offered, motioning to a silver thermos on the table. "We've been using them to catch ghosts. My parents have a portal to the Ghost Zone in the basement, so we usually unload it there. Only problem is that Vlad has one at his place too."

"Which means he can get out just as easily as we put him in," Sam added.

"Then our best bet is to send him along will Darkstar," Ben decided. "It'll be a lot harder for him to find a way out of the Null Void than the Ghost Zone."

"So, unless it's Plasmius, if it looks like a ghost, we use the thermos," Danny said. "If it isn't, then we use these."

"Except for the elf," Karian reminded. "I will handle her personally after we secure as much of the perimeter as we can."

"Do you really think it's a good idea to send those demons to the Null Void?" Gwen asked. "There are colonies there. They could really cause a lot of damage."

"We'll take them out the old fashioned way," Kevin replied as he pulled a weapon resembling a rifle from the wall. "Take 'em down from a distance if we can." He caught the hesitant expressions on most of the teenagers' faces and shook his head. "Listen, those things will shred you in a heartbeat if you give 'em the chance." Looking at Ben and Gwen, he added: "It ain't like with the DNAliens. These bastards aren't human. Ain't never been human, either."

Once the weapons and equipment had been distributed - both alien tech and ghost fighting gear – they began to file out of the bus. Sam caught up with Danny outside, her usual confidence starting to waver.

"I don't know about this," she began. "This is over our heads. It's nothing like what we usually handle."

"We don't have a choice, Sam," he said firmly, although his eyes betrayed his inner turmoil. "My parents are in there and if this is the only way to get them out..."

"Then we have to go for it," she finished with a sigh.

Inside the vehicle, Ben was having similar thoughts. He lingered over the weapons, remembering how he had wondered why they brought them when they always used non-lethal combat. Some of them had lower settings in order to incapacitate rogue aliens without causing too much damage, but those settings would be useless in the upcoming battle. That realization was unsettling, to say the least.

"There has to be another way," he said to himself.

"Perhaps if we had one who was well-versed in the ways of magic," Karian began, but left the sentence hanging.

"What then?" Ben asked, turning to face him. The others had already headed out of the bus, leaving the pair alone for the moment. "Trade the fact that we're going to have to kill things for the risk of another pair causing even more damage? What kind of choice is that?"

"It's the only choice we have," he said quietly. "We either kill them ourselves or call in others who are better prepared to handle them. One who has studied magic extensively might be able to banish them back to their own plane of existence." He paused, considering something before speaking again. "However, since the only one that I know who has that kind of power has charged us with this task, there isn't much else we can do."

"It's wrong, though," Ben insisted. "We don't kill. That's always been one of the rules. We fight when we have to, but we do everything we can to make sure we don't kill anyone."

"We're not talking about people or aliens," Karian reminded. "These are vicious, malevolent beasts. Either we stop them here and now or we risk Abigalia releasing them upon the rest of this world."

"Would she really go that far, though?"

"There's no way to know at this point," he admitted with a shrug. "But it's not a chance we should be taking. Don't forget, both Kevin and I were attacked by her demons. What he said was true. If given the chance, they would slice through each and every one of us without hesitation or remorse." His expression softened as he placed a hand on Ben's shoulder. "I know you don't want to do this, but I also know that you'd do whatever it takes to protect innocent lives."

"Even if it means crossing the lines that we've drawn in the past," Ben said solemnly. "There are innocent people being held hostage in there," he continued, steeling his resolve. "It's up to us to get them out."

"And we will," he promised.

*****

Dark clouds hovered ominously in the sky, shrouding the entire area in shadow. Not even a hint of moonlight filtered through the black masses and the only light provided was from the sporadic flashes of lightning dancing across the horizon. Fifteen minutes had passed since the stroke of midnight and the eight figures had just climbed the final hill that brought their destination into view.

They remained behind the cover of several massive trees, staring down at the estate. What had once been a welcoming home had been transformed by the oncoming storm. The mansion rose into the night, lit by only a few scattered lights, and the entrance gates seemed almost as forbidding as the building itself. From their position, they were afforded a clear view of the area, but no one else seemed to be present.

"Doesn't look like they're going to roll out the welcome mat," Ben remarked.

"Is it just me, or does this have 'trap' written all over it?" Sam asked.

"You don't kidnap someone's parents unless you want them to come after you," Danny pointed out. "We know we're walking into a trap, but we also know that we need to be ready for anything they try to throw at us."

"Right," Ben agreed. As he looked over them, he realized all of them had their attention focused on him and seemed to be awaiting instructions. "Danny and Jazz, get inside at the first chance you get. If your parents are here, then that's where they'll probably be. Tucker, you stay close to Gwen. Sam, you're with Kevin. Watch each other's backs out there. Karian, help out the teams if they need it. Otherwise, find Abigalia and get her out of the way. I'm going to take to the air and provide as much cover for you all as I can."

"Don't forget, we still have to look out for Vlad and Darkstar," Danny added. "They're hiding in there somewhere just waiting for us to ring the doorbell."

"We can't afford any mistakes," Karian reminded them. "If you come across either of them, take them down quick and clean. Send them into the Null Void without asking any questions."

"Vlad likes to hear himself talk," Sam added, looking at Danny. "Just ignore whatever he says and get your parents out of there."

"Take 'em back to the bus," Kevin told him. "Let your sister stay there with them if we're still fighting out here and get your ass back to finish cleaning up."

With the plan set in motion, the teams split up, fanning out among the trees at the southern end of the property. Kevin and Sam headed straight for the gates, flanked by Danny and Jazz to their left and Gwen and Tucker to their right. Ben took a deep breath, his hand turning the dial on the Omnitrix as he cycled through the available forms.

"Be careful," Karian said, causing him to glance up.

"You too."

Without further hesitation, he dropped his palm onto the holographic image and returned his attention to the estate below.

*****

"Perfect," Vaelaeli declared, staring intently into the basin.

"They have arrived?" Darkstar asked, his eyes narrowing in anticipation.

"Indeed," she confirmed. "They are crossing the property line as we speak."

"How many?" Plasmius interrupted.

"Eight," she told him. "They are splitting up and approaching from the south."

"Then you know what to do," Darkstar said to them both.

"Let it never be said that I don't know how to welcome guests," the half-ghost replied with a grin.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: This chapter contains violence, at some times graphic. **

**Chapter Eleven**

The gates opened as they approached, causing Kevin and Sam to pause, if only for a moment. It gave the other four a chance to catch up and the six entered cautiously. A lone figure stood at the top of the stairs, hands clasped behind its back as it waited for them to near. Kevin nodded to Danny before motioning to Gwen and they paired off again, spreading out as they slowly walked towards the building.

Danny and Jazz moved to the center of the walkway, their attention focused solely on the waiting form ahead. Kevin and Sam headed to the left, keeping alert for anything that might attempt to surprise them. Gwen and Tucker took the opposite side and surveyed the area, trying to spot any lurking threats.

"Isn't this a lovely surprise," Vlad Masters greeted, false pleasantness dripping from his voice. "Young Daniel and his friends come to pay a visit to his dear Uncle Vlad..."

"Where are they?" Danny demanded. He resisted the urge to look up as a shadow passed overhead, but was glad that he could have backup at a moment's notice. When Vlad began to deny knowledge of the subject, he shook his head. "Save it, Plasmius. Let our parents go. Now."

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," he insisted with false sincerity.

"Then I'm sure you won't mind if we take a look around," Jazz countered.

"By all means." He motioned them inside with a wave of his hand.

The siblings exchanged a glance, preparing for the worst, and climbed the stairs. Despite the eerie silence within the mansion, neither of them flinched when the door swung closed behind them. Vlad's footsteps echoed on the marble floor as he approached, the sound interrupted only by a meow for attention.

"I see you finally got that lonely-guy cat," Danny remarked as the small feline came into view.

"Ah, there you are with your refreshing, youthful wit," he replied with a shake of his head.

"Danny," Jazz interrupted before he could formulate a retort. "Remember why we're here."

"You're right," he agreed, albeit reluctantly. "You take the upstairs."

She was about to argue that they should stay together, but the need to find their parents seemed more important at the moment. With a nod, she turned towards the staircase and headed up to the second floor.

*****

"This doesn't make sense," Gwen said quietly. "They're here, but why aren't they attacking us?"

"Is that really a bad thing?" Tucker countered.

"I don't know," she admitted.

"They are waiting for something," Karian said from behind them. "A signal, perhaps."

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that," Tucker stated as he turned to face him. "So not cool."

Karian raised a hand to silence him as he tipped his head to the side, listening. His eyes lifted to the sky and Gwen followed his gaze, her own eyes widening as she held out her hand to create a barrier of mana. The incoming arrow fell short and landed a few feet in front of them.

"That would be it," the vampire said grimly. "She wouldn't have missed unless she intended to."

As if on cue, the ground began to tremble and dark forms began to rise from the grass. As they took shape, only half of them appeared to be the same demons that had attacked before. The other three were simply large masses of earthen creatures, but seemed formidable in their own right.

"Start shooting!" Gwen cried as she fired off a few blasts of pink energy at the approaching monsters.

Tucker hesitated for only a moment before leveling the rifle and taking aim on the closest enemy. The laser sent chunks of dirt and stone flying, but the elemental hardly seemed fazed by the hit. Changing tactics, he adjusted his aim to fire at one of the demons, scoring a solid hit on its chest. The red beam sliced cleanly through its torso and it staggered for a second before falling to the ground.

"Gwen, throw up one of your shields!" Karian told her as he backed away quickly.

Without even pausing to ask why, she complied, remembering that the beasts exploded only a split second before it did so. The dome of energy shielded them from the corrosive blood and sickening pieces of demon as they struck the pink barrier that surrounded the trio. The blast took out the remaining two demons, causing them to similarly detonate, and by the time the dust had cleared, only one elemental remained to face them.

"Should we send it to the Null Void?" Gwen asked.

"I would," Karian agreed. "It lacks the intelligence to attack anything on its own. I wouldn't be surprised if it fell apart as soon as it left this plane of existence."

"Can I?" Tucker asked hopefully, unhooking the projector from his belt.

Both Gwen and Karian nodded to him and he flashed a triumphant grin as he took aim on the lone elemental. There was an immediate response from the item when he held down the button and the creature was quickly sucked through the inter-dimensional rift. Tucker was elated with the efficiency of the equipment, but his mood was soon tempered by the meaningful looks he was receiving from the other two.

"We should try to find the others," Gwen suggested. "There's bound to be more of those things around."

*****

"Just shoot them!" Kevin snarled as he slammed a rock-encrusted fist into the face of the nearest demon.

The creatures had sprung up out of nowhere. Kevin and Sam weren't given the warning shot of an arrow. Instead, one second they were walking towards the east side of the mansion and the next, they were surrounded by half a dozen monsters.

"It's not doing anything!" Sam shouted back at him.

The elemental towered over her and she watched the hole in its chest fill with mud and stone. Shaking off her disbelief, she took aim on one of the darker forms. Kevin glanced over just in time to see the demon's head blasted away by the laser and try to disengage from his own opponent. He landed a solid kick into its abdomen and quickly retreated, grabbing Sam by the arm as he tried to pull her a safe distance away.

"Wait!" she protested.

"No time," he insisted. "Those things blow up, remember?"

He could hear the acidic sizzling of the demon's blood as it hit the ground and knew that they only had a few precious seconds before it would explode. Recalling the last time he had fought the monsters, he realized that they weren't going to make it. He pushed himself harder, running as fast as he could while nearly dragging Sam behind him. Dropping to the ground, he covered her as best as he could as he braced for the incoming rain of caustic liquid.

The blast shook the ground beneath them, along with the subsequent explosions of the other two demons, but the expected fall-out never came. When he looked up, the first thing he saw was the pink dome surrounding them and he almost breathed a sigh of relief. He was on his feet again quickly and helped Sam to stand as well.

Sam stared at the barrier that had shielded them from the onslaught and her stomach turned at the sight of various parts of what had once been demons as they slid down the vibrant shell of mana. Just beyond the dome, they could make out three figures waiting.

She recognized Tucker as he rushed forward and the mana receded a second before he took aim on the remaining elemental behind them. It was gone in an instant and he tried to twirl the projector on his finger like a cowboy, only to drop it on the ground. He leaned down to pick it up, but it was snatched away by an obviously annoyed Kevin.

"You have any idea how much these things cost?" the older teen snapped.

"You're welcome," Gwen countered, folding her arms over her chest.

"This is far from over," Karian reminded, staring up at the sky.

They followed his gaze and saw the form of Jetray deftly dodging blasts of dark energy.

*****

The speed of his alien form gave him the advantage, but Ben knew it would only last for so long. Darkstar wasn't giving him any time to form a counterattack, and so all he could do at the moment was dodge the nearly constant bolts that were flung in his direction. Once or twice, he was able to return fire with the green lasers, but that was more to distract his opponent than to cause any real damage.

The brewing storm was another threat that he had to take into consideration. It had yet to start raining, but the streaks of lightning could strike him at any moment. Willing away the unpleasant thought, he focused again on his adversary, trying to find some way to disrupt the energy that seemed only half a second behind his every move.

Finally, he found his opening. Darkstar was standing at the very edge of the roof of the mansion, each thrust of his arm sending him just a little further out from the relative safety of the building. Dodging another blast that streaked past him, Ben focused his own beam on the area just below Darkstar's feet. He felt more than a little satisfaction when the edge of the roof began to crumble and steadied himself for another attack.

Before he could follow up, something slammed into his left shoulder and he glanced over to see the shaft of an arrow. The force of the impact caused him to turn and face the opposite direction, putting him in line for the second arrow, which had left its source before the first one had hit its mark.

*****

They stared in horror and disbelief as Jetray plummeted from the sky, but only Karian's keen vision was able to determine what had struck him. He heard Gwen and Kevin rush past him and shook off the momentary paralysis. By the time Ben was halfway to the ground, the vampire had raced ahead of the others and caught the prone form.

A bright flash of green caused the teenager's appearance to return to normal and Karian gently set him down. He glanced up as Gwen and Kevin reached them, fishing his cell phone out of his pocket. As Gwen knelt on the other side of Ben, Karian handed her the device.

"Call Cassandra," he told her, rising. "Tell her we need a healer."

"Where are you going?" she asked. When he turned away without responding, she glanced up at him and then at Kevin. "Guys? What are you planning?"

"Nothing," Kevin replied as Karian headed towards the woods at the eastern edge of the property. Turning his attention back to her and Ben, who was barely conscious, he spoke again. "Stay with him. Do whatever you can to keep him alive."

"Kevin?" she said, concern obvious in her voice.

He gave Ben once last look, refusing to meet Gwen's questioning gaze, and glanced up to see Sam and Tucker slow to a stop a few paces away. Offering them a nod, he turned and raced after the vampire. Surprisingly, he caught up with him quickly, and stopped beside him, a smirk crossing his features as Darkstar blocked their path. He didn't even see Karian move at first, but then he watched the black-clad figure fall to the ground with a fist-sized dent in the side of his helm.

"I trust you can take it from here?" Karian asked, starting past the prone figure.

"I'm all over it," Kevin assured him.

To his credit, he had enough patience to wait for his opponent to rise and remove the damaged head piece before catching him in the jaw with a right hook. Darkstar went down again, and when he regained his feet, his movements were unsteady. Kevin didn't stop to question the fact that he seemed weaker than before, that he was barely standing after only two hits. Instead, he slammed his fist into his ribs, satisfied when he doubled over.

When Darkstar remained on the ground, Kevin's victorious smirk faded. It was too easy. Glancing down at his left fist, he noticed the blood staining his knuckles. Returning his gaze to his fallen adversary, he noticed no wounds on his face. That much made sense; Kevin had used his right hand when he punched him there. However, his eyes trailed down to where he had struck him in the ribs, catching sight of the tear in the black fabric.

"The hell...?" he muttered, crouching down.

Darkstar's breath was shallow, each one coming slower than the last. Kevin reached out to examine the thin slice in the dark shirt and moved it aside. A small gash marred the surface of his skin, seeping crimson along with a sticky, green substance. He pulled his hand back, glancing up briefly in the direction in which Karian had gone, the realization of what had happened finally dawning on him.

"Son of a bitch..."

Returning his gaze to his long-time enemy, he shook his head slightly and watched as Darkstar drew his final breath.

*****

The windows of the mansion rattled from the force of the explosions outside, but Danny kept his attention focused on Vlad. Neither of them spoke for several minutes and he resisted the urge to use his powers to blast the older hybrid through the nearest wall.

"Who's really calling the shots here, Plasmius?" he asked, taking a step forward. When Vlad opened his mouth, presumably to deny any involvement in the goings-on outside, Danny shook his head. "Don't even try it. I know you're just as much a part of this as they are. The only difference now is that people are getting hurt. This isn't how you usually do things, so who is it? Which one of them is behind it?"

"You think you have it all figured out, don't you?" Vlad countered with a chuckle, dropping the innocent facade. "Do you really think that I would let anyone try to run such a large plan? I suppose now you expect me to explain it in detail, but that's not how it's going to work this time."

"Then why don't you stop with the games and tell me where my parents are?" he snapped.

"Because by the end of the night, it won't matter where they are now," Vlad replied smoothly. "You see, by the end of the night, dear Maddie will be turning to me to ease the grief of her husband's death."

"You killed him?" Danny asked, paling as he felt the wind rush out of him.

"Of course not, my dear boy," he said, stepping forward. "But, you will."

*****

The elf had started running as soon as her arrows had struck their target. She could only hope that the injuries she had inflicted would keep the others occupied long enough for her to escape. She was confident that she could lose any potential pursuers within the safety of the woods. After all, she had spent most of her life within the sheltered canopy of the forests.

Her breath burned in her lungs as she ran faster, her heart hammering in her chest. Glowing eyes staring at her in the darkness caused her to skid to an abrupt stop and the shadows parted as Karian slowly walked towards her. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised that he had outdistanced her so quickly, but she was confident that her Wards would be able to withstand anything he tried to throw at her. A flash of lightning illuminated the dagger in his left hand, stained crimson with rapidly drying blood.

"Abigalia," he began, his voice little more than a low growl.

"Vaelaeli," she corrected.

"Revenge?" he snorted. "That's the name you've chosen for yourself?"

"It suits my purpose." She glared at him in defiance, a humorless laugh passing through her lips. "I have no fear of you, Dusk Hunter. My Wards are stronger than your blade."

"Perhaps," he conceded as he continued to stalk forward. His right hand was clenched in a fist and he thrust his arm forward, his fingers releasing the gem held within. The stone shattered when it struck her Wards, the resulting blast knocking her back against a nearby tree. "Then again, perhaps they simply needed to be stronger than that."

The elf struggled to her feet, shaking her head to clear the fog that seemed to be clouding her vision. One hand lifted to wipe a trickle of blood from her mouth and she lifted her gaze to him again. In an instant, he stood before her, his right arm firm against the front of her shoulders, pinning her to the tree while his left hand held the dagger to her throat.

"Why?" he demanded furiously. "You betrayed us and worse, you betrayed Dravias' memory. He could have rested peacefully with the Ancestors, but you destroyed that hope."

"It was your fault," she shot back. "If you hadn't brought him with you when you came to this accursed place the first time, he'd still be alive!"

"No," he said firmly, shaking his head. "At one time, I thought the same thing, but Dravias chose his own path. He made the decision to accompany me. I will not wallow in unjustified guilt over his death."

"You should," she said with a smirk, despite her situation. "Face it, Karian. He would still be alive if you hadn't brought him along on such a misguided quest. I hope you feel the weight of that decision for the rest of your wretched existence."

"You're wrong."

"And you doubt your own words," she countered. "This is why I took the name of vengeance. You deserve to suffer for what you've caused."

"Your name is nothing but a lie," he snarled. "You've become nothing more than a delusional, vindictive, bitch."

She didn't respond to his harsh assessment. Instead, she stared into his glowing eyes, reading her own death in his gaze. Karian could taste the salt in the air as a tear escaped Abiglaia's eye, but all his mind could see was Ben falling from the sky with her arrows embedded in his body.

Without feeling even a hint of remorse, he slid the blade across her throat.

*****

"You're crazy," Danny said flatly.

"Or so you believe," Vlad replied. Double black rings spread across his form as his ghost half became his dominant appearance. As he floated towards the ceiling, he let out a chuckle. "You'll see, young Daniel, that you will be the one thought to be crazy."

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

However, Plasmius had already vanished up to the second floor. Danny shook his head and prepared to shift into his own ghost form, but the sudden appearance of Dravias caused him to pause.

"I have found your father," the gypsy ghost told him.

"Is he...?"

"He is fine," Dravias assured him. "Uncomfortable, but otherwise unharmed. I believe your sister has located your mother upstairs."

"Upstairs..." he repeated. His relief was short-lived when he realized that Vlad had headed in that direction. "Jazz!"

"You must trust her to take care of herself," Dravais stated. "Right now, we must free your father before it is too late."

"What do you mean 'before it's too late?' What's going to happen to him?"

"He...." The ghost hesitated as if searching for a way to put things delicately. "It would be better if you just followed me so that you can judge the situation for yourself."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"Obvious enough?" Danny muttered under his breath as they descended the stairs into Vlad's hidden lab. "I should've guessed he'd lock him up down here."

"It will not be as simple as just finding him," Dravias warned.

"It never is."

The room was brightly lit, fluorescent bulbs casting a pale glow over the computer monitors and controls against one wall. At the far end of the lab, the Ghost Portal dominated the space. To their left, a long window stretched along the wall, ending with a single door. Looking over towards the window, Danny was able to get a clear view of his father.

Jack Fenton was seated in the middle of the room, his hands and feet bound with thick coils of rope. His expression showed a lack of hope, but he appeared to be uninjured. One of the computers dinged, drawing Danny's attention away from his father for a moment. He stepped over to the control panel and stared at the closest monitor. It showed a five-minute countdown, with a single message across the center of the screen.

"Press any key to initiate discharge," he read aloud. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It has been rigged," Dravias replied. "I was able to watch him set part of this trap. Once the countdown has reached its end, your father's cell will fill with noxious vapors. Any attempt to disable it from these machines will simply cause the trap to spring."

"Then we have less than five minutes to figure this out," Danny stated, taking a step towards the window.

"Wait," the ghost interrupted. He paused in front of him and crouched down to examine the floor. "There are pressure plates set along the perimeter of the cell. My guess is that if you step on one of them, it will trigger the gas as well. The door is locked from the inside and there is some sort of barrier on this wall preventing me from going further."

"A ghost shield." Danny sighed and shook his head in frustration. "We can't turn off the computer. I can't go ghost and get in that way. There has to be a way in. Vlad wouldn't leave it with no possible way in or out."

"I only watched the initial setup," Dravais said with a shrug of apology.

Danny nodded in understanding as his gaze lifted to regard the huddled form in the small room. For a moment, it almost seemed as if Jack was looking right at him, but he was sure that the window would have only a mirror on the other side. At least, that's how things like that always worked in the movies. He racked his brain for another moment, knowing that time was slipping away, and an idea finally came to him.

"The ceiling," he said, hope surging through him. "Maybe we can get in that way."

"It is possible," the gypsy conceded.

"It's the only option we have at the moment." He turned his gaze back to his father, steeling his resolve. "Hang on, Dad. I'm gonna get you out of there." If Jack could hear him through the glass, he gave no sign. Danny took a deep breath and nodded to Dravias. "I'm going ghost!"

As soon as the double rings had cleared his body, he went intangible and floated up through the ceiling. He moved over to where he had judged the adjoining room to be and drifted back down through the floor. Danny allowed himself to become visible once more and he hovered a few feet away from his father, who was simply staring at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, trying to decipher the look on Jack's face.

A flicker of motion at the edge of his peripheral vision caused him to glance over at the window and he realized the reason for his father's unreadable expression. What he had assumed to be a two-way mirror was simply a sheet of glass separating the two rooms. Dravias stood on the other side, gesturing towards the computer monitors which were flashing in warning. Before he had a chance to read the message, the rings passed over him and he was returned to his normal form.

"I know this looks bad," Danny began, looking back to Jack. "But I can explain."

"You darn well better," Jack retorted. "After you untie me."

"Right."

He knelt down to examine the bindings, pleasantly surprised that the ropes had been tied in rather simple knots. It only took a few moments to untie them and Jack was back on his feet quickly. Danny briefly wondered if that was the safest course of action. Many times, Jack had voiced the desire to tear his ghost form apart molecule by molecule.

"Dad, I..." he began.

"Not now, Danny," Jack interrupted. "We need to figure out where we are and how to get out of here."

"We're in Vlad Master's basement," he explained. "Well, I should say Vlad Plasmius' basement." He figured that now that his secret was out in the open, he shouldn't feel bad tossing his nemesis' out as well. "We only have a few minutes before this whole room fills up with poison. Jazz found Mom upstairs, but I was on my way down here to get you first. Since Plasmius hasn't come down to stop me, I think he might be up there."

"He's got Maddie too?" Jack asked, scowling.

"Yeah, but..."

"Hang on, Maddie!" he bellowed, charging to the door. "I'm comin'!"

Danny opened his mouth to warn him that the door was locked, but realized the futility of it when his father crashed right through. Following quickly, he exited behind him, the metal barrier hanging on a single hinge. Dravias met them in the lab, somewhat taken aback by the glare Jack was sending his way.

"It's okay, Dad," Danny said, stepping between them. "He's with us."

"But he's a ghost."

"But he's a ghost on our side." He glanced at each of them. "Look, we can sort it out later. We need to get Mom out of here too."

"Not to mention that this room will also be filled with the gas now that there is nothing to contain it in that cell," the ghost pointed out. "Your mother is on the second floor in the guest chambers."

"Then let's go," Danny stated. He concentrated, preparing to shift forms once more, but frowned when nothing happened. "Whatever made me change back must have shorted out my ghost powers."

He filed that into the category of things to figure out later and started running towards the stairs.

*****

Kevin had just rejoined the rest of the group when Cassandra appeared a few paces away. She immediately approached Gwen and knelt down on the other side of Ben, setting her traveling pack on the ground beside her. Sam and Tucker exchanged a glance. Her white hair and emerald eyes made them almost certain that she was related to the vampire who had accompanied them.

"What happened?" she asked, her accented voice confirming their deduction.

"Abigalia shot him," Gwen explained. "Is he going to be alright?"

"That depends on the damage," Cassandra replied honestly. "I can't use the usual healing methods due to this device." She motioned to the Omnitrix on his wrist. "However, I brought other supplies with me. I'll do my best. First, we need to remove the arrows."

Reaching into her bag, she withdrew several vials filled with liquids of various colors. After setting them on the ground, she pulled out a small, ceramic jar and several thick bandages. She examined two different vials, glancing between them and her patient, before placing one of them back on the ground and pulling the cork from the other.

"You sure about that?" Kevin asked, causing her to glance up at him. "The last time one of us downed something like that, I ended up stuck in a hospital in New Jersey."

"I remember," she replied. "There's no need to worry. These recipes are different than those of the elves. My people have been brewing and using them for generations." She held up the one she had selected as she continued. "This will keep him unconscious and numb to minimize the pain while I tend his injuries."

She returned her attention to Ben as she tipped his head back and opened his mouth. Her other hand brought the vial to his lips and she poured the contents in before closing his mouth and waiting for gravity to carry the potion into his body. Dropping the empty container onto the ground, she lifted her gaze briefly to Gwen.

"Help me turn him onto his side," she instructed.

Gwen nodded and leaned forward, carefully shifting her cousin's weight to roll him over. She watched as Cassandra snapped off the ends of both arrows and tossed them aside. The gypsy reached for one of the jars, unscrewing the lid with one hand before setting it on her lap. After checking to make sure the bandages were within easy reach, she spoke again.

"I'm going to need you to hold him as still as possible," she explained. "The best way to remove this one is to push it straight through."

"What about the other one?" Gwen asked.

"It's lodged deep within his chest," Cassandra replied. "It's safe to assume that it didn't reach his heart or else he would be dead by now, but judging by his breathing, it's possible that it pierced one of his lungs. I may have to send for a stronger healer to handle that one unless you'd rather take him to the hospital."

"Let's deal with one thing at a time," Kevin stated.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Sam asked, ignoring the squeamish expression on Tucker's face.

"If you could separate those bandages and open the remaining potion, it would be appreciated," she replied. "Kevin, please keep watch. If there are still enemies about, we don't want them to catch us unaware."

He gave a slight incline of his head and folded his arms over his chest, careful not to let even the slightest hint of concern cloud his features. He almost winced when he watched her push the rest of the arrow through the other side of Ben's shoulder, but he kept his expression neutral.

Pulling his gaze away from the scene, he noticed a figure approaching from the edge of the woods. It was difficult to discern the person's identity over the distance, but judging from the height, he had a good guess of who it might be. With one last glance at the others, he turned and started across the field. He had only taken a few steps when he realized the person had chosen to increase his pace and he paused when Karian stopped directly in front of him.

"How is he?"

"Alive," Kevin replied. "Your sister is doing her thing still, so all we can do is wait. Where's the elf?"

"She's dead."

He had already guessed as much when he had finally gotten a good look at him. The front of Karian's clothes were soaked with blood and his arms were stained scarlet with the substance. Some of it seemed to have splattered onto his face, reminding the teenager exactly what his teammate was capable of.

"How much of that is yours?" Kevin asked, lowering his voice.

"Very little, if any."

"Thought so."

Without warning, Kevin brought his fist around and punched him squarely in the jaw. Karian turned his head to absorb the impact, although the strike did little harm. Slowly, the vampire brought his gaze around again and his lips pulled back from his fangs in a snarl. Before he could retaliate, a bright wall of mana appeared between them. The two glared at each other through the barrier, but made no further attempt to fight.

"Thank you, Gwen," Cassandra said before addressing the pair. "My task would be much easier if you two could postpone your dispute until after I've finished saving your friend's life."

Considering the matter settled for the moment, she returned her attention to her previous efforts. She had just finished spreading some of the thick ointment from the jar over the open wound in Ben's shoulder and cleanly sliced through the remains of his shirt with a small knife. Setting the blade down, she gently examined the second arrow and nodded to herself.

"He was lucky," she explained. "It didn't go deep enough to pierce anything vital. He has at least one broken rib, which would explain his breathing. It'll be best if I just pull this one out instead of trying to push it the rest of the way through."

"And it's not going to hurt him any more if you do it that way?" Gwen asked.

"It'll still open the wound further, but it'll cause less damage this way." She lifted one of the bandages and handed it to her. "Be prepared to press this down firmly to minimize the blood loss."

The gypsy took a deep breath before grasping the broken shaft of the arrow and pulling it up as hard as she could. As soon as it had cleared the surface of his skin, Gwen leaned forward and held the bandage in place. It was quickly stained a dark crimson, but she didn't pull away until Cassandra motioned her aside. Once more of the salve had coated the torn flesh, they applied fresh cloth and secured it.

"He will survive," she declared as she poured the contents of another vial into his mouth. "However, that is all I can do for now." Lifting her gaze to the others, she turned her head to regard the pair who had nearly started a brawl in the middle of the field. "Now, what exactly is the problem between you two?"

"Tell them," Kevin demanded.

"I wouldn't want to deprive you of the pleasure of placing the blame," Karian countered dryly.

"Fine," the teenager spat as he looked over at Cassandra. "Your brother went off and killed a couple of people. Abigalia and Darkstar are dead."

Shocked silence was the initial response. Gwen and Sam stared at them, not wanting to believe what they were hearing while Tucker took a few steps backwards. Cassandra glanced down for a moment before rising to her feet and approaching them. Before she could say anything, Gwen stepped up beside her and took a long look at Karian.

"Is that true?" she asked, even though the blood on his clothes and arms seemed like damning evidence. "Did you really...?"

"Yes," he replied evenly.

"I would like to speak with you privately," Cassandra interrupted.

"Very well," he conceded, turning away from them.

Sam stood and moved over to Kevin and Gwen, shaking her head as she watched the siblings walk several yards away to engage in their private discussion. They had only been speaking for a few moments when the conversation shifted towards an argument. Their voices were rising to the point where she could hear the words, but she realized that she couldn't understand the language. Anger slowly began to replace surprise and she decided that Kevin's reaction to the vampire's return was fitting.

*****

No matter how hard she tried, Jazz couldn't get her mother to wake up. Maddie seemed to be sleeping comfortably on the soft, king-sized bed and only the steady rise and fall of her chest proved that she was alive. The teen refused to give up, though. It wasn't until she heard the door creak open that she finally looked away from her mother. Her hopes fled when her gaze fell upon the form of Vlad Masters and she slowly reached for the hand-held device that she had placed on the nightstand.

"What did you do to her?" she demanded.

"She's quite lovely when she's asleep, isn't she?" he mused, ignoring the question.

"You told us our parents weren't here," Jazz pressed as her fingers curled around the handle of the object.

"I suppose I must have lied," he said with a shrug. "Although it really doesn't matter now, does it?" His lips curled up in a grin as he took a step forward, his hands clasped behind his back. "If your brother has done what I expected him to do, then it's just the three of us now. I doubt he could figure out the little trap I set for him. You've seen his report card, so I'm sure you know what I'm talking about."

Jazz listened carefully to his words, although she would not allow herself to believe them. She hoped that he was so caught up in his tale that he wouldn't notice her pulling the device closer and hiding it behind her back.

"Perhaps I should make you an offer," he continued, seemingly oblivious to her covert actions. "With Jack and Danny gone, Maddie will finally be mine. No longer will I have to compete with the idiot she chose over me. We'll be a happy little family. Just the three of us."

"I think I figured out the subject of my next paper," she said finally. "The effects of psychosis when combined with a complete lack of realism." As she watched his triumphant grin fade, she squared her shoulders and continued. "You really think Mom will chose you when she figures out what you've done? Seriously?"

"That's why she's not going to know," he said confidently. "And if I can't trust you to keep this little secret, then I'll just have to settle for having a family of two."

With a flash of black rings, Vlad Masters became Plasmius once more. Jazz remained motionless, unwilling to show her hand just yet. She offered up a pretense of fear, letting him think that she was terrified in his presence. Her ploy worked. His ego wouldn't allow him to silently dispose of her.

"Ah, now you remember who you're dealing with," he said with a laugh. "You have no choice now. Surely you won't sacrifice your life just to spoil my moment."

"Jazz!" Danny shouted as he skidded to a halt in the doorway. "Leave her alone, Plasmius!"

It was just the diversion she needed. When the older half-ghost turned to confront the newest arrival, Jazz brought her hands around front and took aim. Before Plasmius had a chance to respond, she pressed the button on the top of the handle and called out to her brother.

"Danny, get down!"

The warning caused Plasmius to face her once more, and a quizzical expression crossed his pallid features for a brief second before the device activated. A few loose papers on the dresser were caught in the sudden gust of wind and swirled around the room. Jazz held the projector with both hands and she watched as he was literally sucked into it.

The disturbance was over surprisingly quickly and, as the scattered papers settled, she met Danny's gaze. He nodded his approval and rushed forward, his attention immediately turning to the slumbering form of his mother. He wasn't given a chance to check on her condition because Jack had managed to catch up with him.

Danny was pushed aside as his father came barreling into the room and nearly ran into the bed.. It took a sudden shift in his balance to prevent being knocked to the floor and he moved over to stand beside Jazz.

"Maddie!" Jack yelled, grasping her shoulders as he tried to wake her. When she didn't stir, he shook his head and tried again.

"He drugged her," Dravias offered, leaning against the wall.

"What do you know about it, ghost?" Jack demanded.

"The effect should only be temporary," he explained. "Long enough to keep her out of the fight. I doubt he would inflict lasting damage on what he had assumed to be his prize." Turning his attention to Danny and Jazz, he continued. "The battle outside has ended. You should be gone from here soon."

"Where's Vlad?" Jack asked, scowling. "When I get my hands on him..."

"He's gone," Danny replied. When he spoke again, there was no mistaking the pride in his voice. "Jazz took care of him."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

The front lawn was scarred with the marks of battle. Remnants of fallen demons littered the grass, punctuated by large scorch marks stretching out around the various debris. Danny heard Jazz gasp beside him, but forced himself to study the scene in attempt to determine what exactly had happened. A flash of lightning illuminated the area, bringing his attention to the group gathered halfway across the property.

"Over there," he said, starting off in that direction.

"I must depart," Dravias told him. "It would be best if I am not seen for now."

Danny opened his mouth to argue, but closed it and nodded instead. He glanced over at his father, who was carrying Maddie as they walked down the stairs. Confusion was mingled with the obvious concern on the large man's face, but surprisingly, he asked no questions. Danny led his family across the slick grass, stopping when Gwen looked up at him.

She was beside her cousin, who lay unconscious and bandaged in several places. Sam and Tucker looked away from the still form, following her gaze, and then rushed over to meet him.

"Are you guys okay?" Danny asked, looking them over for signs of injury.

"We're fine," Sam assured him. "Your parents are alright?"

"I think so," he replied with a nod. "What happened?" Raised voices caught his attention and he turned his head to regard the arguing twins. "Who's that?"

"Long story," she said with a sigh. She glanced over to watch Cassandra approachthe others and then returned her attention to Danny. "Can we just go home now?"

"I'm all for that idea," Tucker agreed.

"Let's check on them first," Danny suggested. "Ben looks hurt pretty bad."

He continued past them, stopping when he neared the rest of the group. He grimaced when he saw the broken arrows on the ground and settled his gaze on the woman who was checking the bandages. If she noticed his presence, she gave no outward sign. He decided to leave her be for the moment and instead glanced past her. Kevin and Karian seemed to be having a stand-off. The dark-haired teenager stood directly between the vampire and the others, but something about his stance made it obvious that it wasn't just a precautionary measure.

"That boy needs a doctor," Jack said from behind him.

"I have already treated his wounds," Cassandra replied, not looking up from her patient. "He will survive." Her next words were addressed to Gwen as she withdrew two more vials from her traveling pack. "I expect him to remain unconscious for at least another day. Give him one of these in three hours and the other when he awakens. If he doesn't wake up by the sunrise after tomorrow night, or if his condition worsens, call me and I will send for a stronger healer."

"Thank you," Gwen said, managing a vague smile. "We really appreciate your help."

"You're welcome." The gypsy offered a nod as she rose to her feet and then finally looked at Jack. "Does she require healing as well?"

"I don't think so," Danny replied before giving his father a chance to speak.

"Maybe she should check, just to make sure," Sam suggested. When he hesitated, she continued. "She's on our side, Danny."

"Wait just a minute," Jack interrupted. "You kids need to start explaining what's going on here."

"It is complicated," Cassandra told him. "To be honest, the less you know, the better, Mr...?"

"Fenton," he told her. "Jack Fenton. And who are you?"

"Cassandra Talbot," she replied, her patience obviously at its breaking point. "If you doubt my identity, feel free to call Los Angeles and speak with the District Attorney. He's my husband. Now would you like me to check for injuries or shall I continue on my way?"

*****

By the time they had returned to Amity Park, and dropped off the passengers, it was only an hour before sunrise. The team of Plumbers were all showing signs of the ordeal, some more obvious than others. Tension hung thick within the vehicle, anxiety over Ben's condition mingling with the shock and outrage at Karian's actions.

Kevin had parked the bus in its previous location, saying almost nothing throughout the drive back to the town. He walked towards the back without a word and stopped in the doorway, scowling at the occupants.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded.

"I'm changing his bandages," Karian replied. "Or have you suddenly gone blind?"

"Get away from him."

"Do not start with me, Kevin," he warned.

"Or what?" the teen countered. "You gonna kill me too while you're at it?"

"Don't tempt me."

"Knock it off, guys," Gwen said, tired and annoyed. "No one's going to kill anyone else tonight. Kevin, let him finish what he's doing. Karian, stop provoking him." When they continued to glare at each other, she sat up in her bed. "Hasn't there been enough fighting for one night? Do you really need to keep this going?"

"He started it," Karian countered.

"I don't care who started it," she said evenly. "End it. I don't think it's too much to ask for you two to stop arguing long enough for us to get some sleep. We'll sort everything out when we're back home and Ben's better."

"Fine," Karian snapped, standing. "I'm done here anyway."

He gathered up the soiled bandages and shoved past Kevin, heading for the front of the bus. Dropping the items in the trash, he continued forward, pausing long enough to enter the code on the keypad before descending the stairs.

A slight breeze of pre-dawn air brushed over him as he stepped outside and he stared up at the sky. Dark blue was starting to give way to a faint tinge of pink and orange on the horizon and he closed his eyes, remembering how the sunrise used to feel. The vibration of his cell phone broke through his reminiscence and he pulled the device from his pocket.

"Yes?" he answered without looking at the caller-ID. His expression didn't change as he listened to the information on the other end of the line. "That was to be expected. How long?" He grimaced at the response and leaned back against the bus. "Very well. Thank you."

Closing the phone, he shook his head slightly. He looked at the device for a long moment before setting it on the ground. When he straightened, he caught sight of the two figures approaching from across the parking lot. He gave one last glance at the vehicle behind him and then stepped away from it to meet them.

*****

Tension hung in the air within the Fenton residence. Danny glanced over at Jazz, who was sitting beside him, before returning his attention to his parents across the table. Maddie had awoken on the ride home, but it wasn't until they had reached their destination that Jack had told her what he knew of the night's events. Danny added nothing to his story, for in truth, he knew very little of what had happened outside of the mansion. He could feel their disappointment at his betrayal, though, and he looked down at the table.

"Mom, Dad, I ..." he began, trying to find the right words. "I wanted to tell you."

"Then why didn't you?" she asked. There was little anger in her voice and it seemed as if she really wanted to understand. "Were you afraid of what we would think?"

"I guess," he admitted. "All the talk about wanting to dissect ghosts didn't really help either."

"Danny, we're your parents," she told him with a reassuring smile. "And we love you anyway."

"But you're still grounded," Jack added.

"But he saved your life!" Jazz argued before he could even begin to protest.

"That he did," her father agreed. "But he still lied to us and lying is bad."

Danny nodded and looked down, deciding not to press the issue. He felt lucky that he was only getting a relatively light punishment and even more so that his parents were still around to ground him. Fatigue had finally started to catch up with him, though. The events of the night were taking their toll and he felt a slow ache creeping through his muscles. He glanced around at his reunited family and slid his chair back from the table.

"It's okay," he told Jazz before addressing his parents. "Can I go to bed?"

"I think we could all use some sleep," Jack agreed.

Danny stood and walked to the stairs, heading for his room. Despite his exhaustion, he needed answers. He needed to know what had happened outside while he and Jazz were occupied with Vlad and his schemes. As soon as his door was closed, he moved over to his computer and turned it on. It only took a moment for it to boot up and he immediately checked his instant messaging program. He felt relieved that Sam was online and he selected her name.

"You're still awake?" he typed.

"Couldn't sleep," she replied. "How'd it go with your parents?"

"Grounded," he told her. "I kinda expected it, though. What happened out there?"

There was a long pause and the text at the bottom of the window showed that she was typing a message. He leaned back in his chair, frowning when several minutes passed. Finally, her response appeared in the window and he scrolled up to start at the beginning.

"I never want to do that again," she stated. "Everything was quiet and then demons just appeared out of nowhere. There were these huge rock monsters, too. The guns weren't doing anything to those, but they blew right through the demons. They started exploding like Kevin said they would, but Gwen got one of her energy shield things over us just in time. Tucker was having way too much fun with those projectors, but he got rid of the last rock monster for us.

"Ben got shot with a couple of arrows," she continued. "I didn't think he was going to make it, but Karian handed Gwen his phone and told her to call someone that was supposed to be a healer. The next thing I knew, this woman just appears out of nowhere and starts pulling out these potions and ointments and bandages. She said something about not being able to use her usual method, whatever that was, because of the weird watch of his. By that point, Karian and Kevin had already taken off towards the woods.

"Kevin came back a few minutes later and he looked really mad. When Karian came back, he was covered in blood. I couldn't hear what Kevin was saying to him, but he was mad enough to hit him. It didn't even seem to hurt, but I don't think that it would have. I mean, Karian's a vampire and Kevin didn't have anything extra on his hand. So, when the woman, who I think they said was Karian's sister, was finished patching up Ben, Kevin told us that Karian killed Darkstar and Abigalia."

"Did he?" Danny asked.

"Oh yeah," she replied. "He admitted it right away and acted like it wasn't a big deal."

He could picture her tone of voice as he read the message and knew she was outraged by the developments. He couldn't blame her. They were supposed to be the good guys, and good guys didn't just kill people like that. There had to be more to it.

"Did he say why?" he asked.

"No," she told him. "But he didn't really have a chance to, either. His sister pulled him aside and they started arguing. They were talking in another language, so I couldn't understand what they were saying, but I'm pretty sure it had to do with him murdering two people. That's pretty much what was happening when you showed up."

Danny frowned, disturbed by her account. More than that, he couldn't help but feel betrayed. He had trusted the Plumbers and one of them had just killed two people. On the other hand, the vampire's actions hadn't been well-received by the rest of the team, so it was possible that he had acted alone on that.

He was too tired to even attempt to sort it all out. A dull ache was building behind his eyes and he was straining just to focus on the computer screen. Shaking his head, he tried to clear his vision and brought his fingers back to the keyboard.

"I'm going to try to get out later to check on Ben," he told her. "Right now, I think I need some sleep. We'll sort it out tonight."

*****

Night had fallen again before Gwen saw Ben begin to stir. She reached for the small vial of liquid as she watched his eyes open and a small smile found its way onto her features when he looked up at her. He tried to sit up, wincing at the lingering pain, and relaxed back on the bed.

"Just relax," she told him, uncorking the vial. "Here, drink this."

He managed to prop himself up on his elbows and reached for the container. He looked at it with mistrust, remembering how a similar looking substance had landed Kevin in the hospital, but he pushed the thought outside and brought the bottle to his lips. Downing the potion in one gulp, he grimaced at the taste and handed the empty vial back to his cousin.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked, laying back again.

"More or less," Gwen replied hesitantly. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," he admitted. Glancing around, he realized that they were the only ones in that part of the bus. "Where's...?"

"Kevin went to pick up something to eat," she explained without giving him the chance to finish. "I told him I'd stay here in case you woke up."

"And Karian?" he asked. The look on her face caused his heart to sink and he tried to sit up again. "Where is he, Gwen?"

"I don't know," she said with a sigh. "We haven't seen him since about five-thirty this morning. Kevin found his cell phone outside this afternoon."

"Do you think he...?"

Ben couldn't finish the thought, and closed his eyes to will it away. The potion was taking effect, spreading warmth throughout his body. He could almost feel his muscles and skin healing as he took a deep breath, the pain slowly receding.

"Ben," she began. "How much do you remember about what happened?"

"I remember fighting Darkstar," he replied. His brow furrowed as he tried to recall the events of the previous night. "I think I had just knocked him off the roof, but then, something hit me. Two somethings actually... I fell, but everything after that is just a blank." Another thought occurred to him. "Did they get Danny's parents out of there?"

"They're fine," she assured him.

"Good," he said before he remembered something else. "Can't you use your badge to try and find..."

"We tried that," Kevin said, pushing the door open as he returned. "He's not showing up anywhere. So, either his badge was trashed or he's not even on Earth."

"He wouldn't have destroyed his own badge," Ben stated as Kevin dropped a paper bag on the bed. "And he didn't tell either of you where he was going?"

"No," Gwen replied. "Did he talk to anyone this morning after we went to sleep?"

"Sure did," Kevin told her, scrolling through the call log. "His sister called him at five forty-seven this morning. Twenty bucks says she knows where he's hiding."

"Let me see," Ben said, finally managing to sit up.

"Ben, you really should..." Gwen argued.

"I'm fine," he interrupted. "Give me the phone."

"This is a bad idea," Kevin told him, shaking his head. "I know you like him and all that, but I think we're better off with him far away."

"Really?" Ben countered, growing more and more annoyed. "Why?"

"Because he killed two people last night," the older teen stated. "He went off and killed Darkstar and the elf. That's why."

"No." Ben's eyes widened in surprise as he denied the accusation. "He wouldn't do something like that."

"It's true," Gwen said softly. "As soon as you went down, he told us to call his sister and then he ran off to confront them. He admitted it when he came back."

"I need to talk to him," Ben told them after a few moments of silence. "He had to have a reason."

"Don't count on it," Kevin muttered.

"Cassandra will know where he is," he continued, ignoring the remark. "You said so yourself. Give me the phone, Kevin."

Kevin looked over at Gwen, who was studying her cousin. With a sigh, she nodded to him and watched the device change hands. Ben glanced at the call log and pressed the button to dial the number in Los Angeles. He held his breath as he waited for her to pick up and let it out when he heard her voice on the line.

"You're wasting your time," she said as a greeting. "He's gone."

"Where is he?" Ben asked.

"Gone," she repeated.

"Cassandra, I know that you know," he pressed.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I can't help you."

"Please," he pleaded. "At least tell me if he's alright."

"I can't tell you what you want to hear." There was silence on the other end before she spoke again. "I will see what I can do, but I make no promises."

"Thank you," Ben said before disconnecting the call and lowering the phone. "She said she'll see what she can do, but she won't tell me where he is." He paused, conflicted emotions clear on his face. "I think he's in trouble."

"Big surprise there," Kevin remarked as he turned and headed towards the front of the bus.

Ben stared at the phone, trying to sort through his thoughts. After a few minutes, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, grimacing against the pain, and rested his elbows on his knees. His gaze lifted as he heard a knock on the door of the bus and he watched Kevin scowl at the monitor.

"Who is it?" Gwen asked.

"No clue," Kevin replied. "The screen went all fuzzy and it's not picking up whoever is out there."

He pressed his palm against the steel partition beside him, the metal spreading over his hand and wrist, and pressed the code on the keypad with his other hand. As the door swung open, he tensed, ready for whatever might be waiting outside. He blinked once when he regarded the woman standing a few paces back from the vehicle.

She was flanked by two armored figures, neither of which looked amused or impressed by his defensive posture. Amethyst-hued eyes met his as a red eyebrow arched slightly. As she tucked a strand of hair behind a delicately pointed ear, Lalasa Konistav took a step forward, her expression grim.

"My daughter tells me that you wish to know the location of your friend," she said.

"He's not my friend," Kevin replied as the steel retracted from his hand. "But his boyfriend wants to know where the hell he is."

"I imagine he would," she agreed. "May I speak with him?"

"It wouldn't make any difference if I said no, now would it?"

"No, it wouldn't," she said.

"Fine," he conceded before looking back towards the sleeping quarters. "Ben," he called. "It's for you."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"I'm surprised they let you out," Sam said as she closed the door and descended the front stairs of her house. "How'd you talk them into it?"

"Well, Dad remembered how beat up Ben looked, so he said he would let me out to go check on him," Danny told her. "Is Tucker coming?"

"I don't think so," she replied. "He wasn't answering his phone earlier. I'm willing to bet he's still asleep."

"It wouldn't surprise me," he agreed. "Ready?"

She gave a slight nod and they started off down the sidewalk. The weather had cleared and instead of the storm that had hovered the previous night, they had ample moonlight to help the street lamps illuminate their path. It also shed a pale light on the ghost leaning against the phone pole ahead of them. He watched their approach and then straightened before stepping into their path.

"This is not a good time to visit your comrades," Dravias advised.

"Why not?" Danny asked as he and Sam stopped. "Did something happen to them?"

"They are otherwise occupied," the ghost replied, deliberately vague.

"That's helpful," Sam remarked dryly.

"Karian was arrested this morning," Dravias said. He watched them exchange a glance before clarifying. "By Zalyndrya's Royal Guard. They have taken him back to our world."

"What about Ben and the others?" Danny asked.

"They are meeting with Lady Konistav presently," he replied. "You do not want to get in the middle of that conversation."

"I'll decide for myself," Danny stated as the rings passed over his form.

*****

Ben leaned against the bus, unwilling to admit that it was the only thing keeping him on his feet at the moment. While his wounds were not as bad as they had initially been, he was still far from healed. He looked at Lalasa's escorts, the moonlight shining on their armor and their features impassive, before slowly turning his head to regard her.

She looked much the same as she had the last time they had met. Then again, he didn't really expect someone who was immortal to change all that much. A silver circlet crowned her brow, declaring her station and, if the guards weren't enough to make it obvious, making it clear that her visit was strictly for business purposes.

"I really only want to ask this once," Ben began slowly. "Where is he?"

"He was taken into custody shortly before sunrise this morning," she replied. "I trust you already know why."

"Because he killed two people," he said with a sigh. "There has to be an explanation for it. You know he wouldn't do something like that without good reason."

"The only death that concerns me is that of Abigalia Owlwhisper."

"So, it's just fine that he killed Darkstar while he was at it?" Kevin challenged.

"As far as I'm concerned, yes," she told him. "He was far from innocent, Kevin. Very few, if any, will mourn his passing. However, Abigalia's death causes many problems."

"For you," Ben finished for her, catching on.

"Precisely," she confirmed. "I should also point out that eavesdropping is considered just as rude in my world as it is here."

Ben and Kevin exchanged a confused look, not quite understanding the relevance of the statement. The puzzle was solved a moment later when Danny and Sam became visible a few feet behind the visitors. They had barely taken a step forward when one of the Guards turned to face them, brandishing a gleaming sword, while the other stepped protectively in front of their leader to stand between her and the Plumbers. For a tense handful of seconds, no one moved.

"As you were," Lalasa ordered. She turned around to study the pair as her escorts returned to their places on either side of her. "I suppose that since you both played a part in this, it would be unfair to exclude you from the discussion."

"You know who we are?" Danny asked suspiciously.

"Indeed," she replied. "And I'm fairly certain that you know who I am."

"And you were just about to tell us where you took Karian and why," Ben prompted.

"I'm not working against you, Ben," she said, facing him once more. "You must understand my position here. We have a tenuous treaty with the elves of Evemyst. They have demanded that he be brought before their elders to determine if his actions were justified. If I refuse, they will state that Abigalia's death was an assassination by our orders and they would consider that an act of war."

"So he's a pawn to help you avoid a political firestorm?" Sam asked.

"What other choice do I have?" Lalasa countered. "Would you rush to Zalyndrya's aid if we were to be forced into a war with the elves?" She looked at each of them in turn. "We have brought our armies here in the past to aid your world. Could we expect you to return the favor when the vast majority of your citizens are unaware of our existence?"

"I would," Ben told her.

"Truly?" she asked, her tone incredulous. "The wounds from your previous battle still inhibit your abilities and your Omnitrix would be useless in my world. Does he mean that much to you that you would face the wrath of Evemyst and whatever magic they would throw at you?"

"I might not be happy with what he's done," he began. "But I can't just stand by while he's sitting in a jail cell waiting for someone else to decide what's going to happen to him."

"As noble as that sounds, I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"Make up your mind already," Kevin said. "First you ask if we'd fight and then when he says he will, you tell us that's too damn bad."

"Mind yourself," she warned.

"Look, there has to be something we can do to stop this," Ben interrupted, trying to keep the situation from escalating. "Can I at least see him?"

"I do not think that would be wise," she replied, shaking her head.

"Lalasa, please," he pressed.

"I don't see why not," Danny added. "It's not like he's going to try to break him out or anything."

"Besides," Sam spoke up. "Don't you think that they might want to hear from other people that were there?"

"The elves don't exactly work like that," Lalasa explained. "The testimony of humans would mean little to them. Did any of you actually see him make the kill?"

"I was there when he killed Darkstar," Kevin replied. "He moved to fast for me to really see what he did, but none of us use knives with poison on 'em."

"That is a separate issue and nowhere near relevant to this situation," she reminded. The Guard to her right leaned close and said something to her in hushed tones before resuming his previous posture. She nodded thoughtfully before speaking again. "We leave in five minutes." Glancing back at Danny, she added: "I suggest that you return to your human appearance if you are to accompany us." Returning her gaze to Ben, her expression softened slightly. "Once we reach the castle, I will make sure your injuries are healed completely."

*****

The cold, stone stairs were lit by flickering torches on the walls and the air was filled with the musty smell of ancient mold. Ben kept one hand on the wall as he descended and his eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light. It was eerily quiet, save for the footsteps of the guard behind him. His escort stopped at the bottom of the stairs and directed him towards his destination.

He passed several empty cells, the floors littered with straw and chipped stone. As he walked through the dungeon, he couldn't help but wonder how often the space was used. The question was answered when he turned the corner and passed a handful of prisoners. They seemed to be asleep, which made sense to him given the late hour. Near the end of the corridor, he came to a stop and looked through the iron grating that separated the cell from the walkway.

"I would imagine that you're furious with me right now," Karian said. His eyes were closed as he sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. "So, why are you here?" When he received no response, his eyes slowly opened and he turned his head to regard him. "I am quite happy to see you, and to see that your wounds are healed, but this is unexpected."

"Why?" It was all Ben could think of to ask. Too many emotions were warring within him; concern for the vampire's fate, anger at his actions, and the confusion of how it all happened. "Did you have to kill them?"

"Did I have to?" he echoed. "No, but I don't regret it."

"You don't mean that," Ben insisted, wanting it to be true.

"Believe what you want." His shoulders rolled in a shrug. "They were trying to kill all of us. Abigalia nearly succeeded when she struck you. We were in the midst of a battle, Ben. Casualties happen."

"That's not how we work and you know it."

"That's not how you and Gwen work," he corrected.

"Kevin's pretty mad about it too," Ben pointed out.

"Kevin is angry because he wasn't given the chance to fight Darkstar," Karian stated. "He will refuse to admit it, but his mood is not because of the fact that I killed him. It's because he couldn't do it himself."

"You're wrong. He's not like that anymore."

"A tiger doesn't change its stripes, Ben." He rose to his feet and walked over to face him. "Kevin tried to kill you on numerous occasions when you were younger. Less than a year ago, before he joined the team, he tried to do it again. He moderates his behavior for the same reason that Lothan and I do. His decisions are based on the hope that if he shows restraint, then the one he loves will continue to love him in return."

"You're wrong," Ben repeated, his frustration growing more and more as the conversation continued. He shook his head and took a deep breath before speaking again. "Listen, I don't need to know why you did it. I just need to know that some part of you didn't mean to. Tell me it was an accident, or that you just lost control. Just tell me that you didn't go out there intending to kill them."

"I'm not going to lie to you." His features hardened, the passive demeanor fading away. "What do you want me to say? Should I be sorry? Should I feel guilty?"

"It would be a start."

"Everything I've done has been done out of guilt," he stated. "I spent most of my life learning how to kill vampires because I was too weak to stop them from massacring my clan when I was a child. I helped in the assault on Los Soledad because I felt like I owed it to your world after my actions in Los Angeles two and a half years ago. I'm finished with guilt. Do you want to know why I killed Abigalia?"

"I'd like to think you had a good reason," Ben said.

"I had two reasons," he replied. "First off, she nearly killed you."

"There's more to it than that, isn't there?" he pressed.

"Of course there is," Karian said dryly. "I killed her because I was like her once. She felt responsible for Dravias' death. Her grief drove her mad and she couldn't cope with the guilt. So, she pushed it onto me instead. She wanted to hurt me just like she thought I had hurt her."

"Did she tell you that?"

"She did not have to." He shook his head slightly. "I saw it in her eyes right before I slit her throat."

"And you killed her anyway?" Ben asked angrily. "You didn't even try to talk some sense into her?"

"She nearly killed you," he reminded once more. His shoulders slumped as he read the hurt expression on his face. "I tried, Ben. I've tried so hard to be the kind of person you hoped I could be. You didn't want me hurting people, so I stopped hunting. In the two months we've been traveling, the only time I've fed from anyone was when you offered. I can't survive on store-bought blood, though. I don't know why, but it's doing less and less to take the edge off of my hunger. My judgment gets cloudier with each passing night."

Ben stared at him, unsure of what to say. It was difficult for him to believe what he was hearing, but it gave him a little bit of hope that Karian hadn't really meant to kill anyone. If his situation was affecting his ability to make decisions, then maybe that would explain why he'd killed two people the night before.

"We'll figure this out," he said finally. "Let's get through whatever trial they've got planned and then we'll find a solution when we get home."

"There is nothing left to figure out," Karian told him. "There is no cure for what I am. You think you understand, but you don't. I spent the first two years of my new existence in this castle. Do you think the Red Cross has an office here? There is more blood on my hands than I can ever hope to wash off. I kill to survive. It's what I am now. Can you look at me the same way with that knowledge?"

"How many?"

"Don't ask me that."

"I'm asking you anyway," Ben said evenly. "And I want the truth. How many people have you killed?"

"Three hundred and eighty six," he replied. "Including Abigalia and Darkstar." He turned away, crossing the cell to face the opposite wall. "Are you happy now? You wanted the truth, and so now you have it."

The silence stretched between them. Karian did not turn to face him, unable to meet his gaze or see the horrified expression on his face. Ben watched him for a few moments, trying to find the words to express what that revelation meant to him. His preconceived notions of who the vampire was had been shattered, and with them, the hope that things could ever be as they had been between them.

He waited a minute more, wondering if anything else was to be said. With one last look at him, Ben turned and headed back through the corridor towards the stairs. His footsteps echoed against the stone, but the sound was smothered by a voice addressing him.

"You have to give the lad credit for honesty," Lothan said as he fell into step beside him.

"I thought eavesdropping was rude here," he remarked sourly.

"It is," the vampire agreed. "However, if I just happened to be in the dungeons during your conversation, given my exceptional hearing, it could hardly be considered eavesdropping." He paused thoughtfully as they started to ascend the stairs. "You are too hard on him."

"You heard him," Ben said, shaking his head. "Even if he makes it out of this, he's just going to keep on killing people."

"You act as if he could help it," Lothan countered calmly. "Consider this. The dungeons are organized into four sections. The first is where you just spoke with him. That is where prisoners are held before trial. The second is for those awaiting sentencing. The third holds those who are serving a sentence of less than six months, as such a short time makes it impractical to assign them an apprenticeship with one of the tradesmen. The fourth is where I had just come from."

"And what's that one for?"

"That section is reserved for prisoners whose crimes have made it impossible for them to reenter society at a later date," he explained. "I suppose it would be the equivalent of Death Row in your world. Now, Zalyndrya has not held a public execution in over seven hundred years."

"So, you treat it like your own private cafeteria?" His tone betrayed his anger and his opinion of their methods.

"If that is how you want to view it, then by all means." His shoulders rolled in a shrug. "The point I was trying to make is that the people he has killed were hardly innocent. They had already been tried and convicted of severe crimes; murderers, rapists, and the like. My wife and I are not permitted to kill innocents. Neither would we allow a vampire in our home to do so."

"And that's supposed to make it all better?" Ben snapped. "It's okay to kill people as long as they've done something bad?"

"That is the very definition of capital punishment," Lothan replied with a smirk. "Do they not teach you this in your schools?"

"That's different."

"How so?" he asked as they stopped at the top of the stairs. "You forget where you are. We are the ones who hold court. We are the ones who decide who is guilty and who is innocent. It is no different than any other courtroom."

"Except that here, the judge eats people who get convicted."

"An execution is an execution. If Karian was still human and had taken a job as an executioner for the prisons of your world, would you turn away from him as you are now?" He flashed a grin when he watched the teenager's brow furrow. "Perspective, my friend. Everything is subject to perspective." He grew serious as he continued. "The hearing will commence in two hours. I trust you will be in attendance?"

"I'll be there," Ben told him. "I'd like to talk to Lalasa first, though."

"Unfortunately, she is in a meeting at the moment," he said.

"With the elves," he guessed.

"No," Lothan replied. "We met with them earlier. She is speaking with another guest. Strange fellow, I must say, but he knows you and your friends. I believe he is ranked above you in your little space club. If you give me a moment, I might remember his name. Magister something-or-other... He rather reminds me of a frog."

"Magister Ghilhil?" Ben asked, the unexpected news distracting him from the discussion for a moment. "What's he doing here?"

"Considering the fact that Karian is a part of afore-mentioned club, the Magister felt an investigation was in order," he explained. "So, my wife invited him to sit in on the proceedings tonight. Of course, we had to find suitable clothes for him. The technology in his armor does not function here."

Ben nodded absently, his mind too full with everything he had heard so far. Things were looking grim and he wasn't quite sure what, if anything, he could do about it. As he made his way through the castle and towards the grand staircases, he could see Lothan in his peripheral vision, but the vampire had fallen silent.

*****

"He's been gone a while," Kevin observed.

"I'm sure he's fine," Gwen replied. "I don't think they'd let anything happen to him here."

"Are you guys sure we can trust them?" Danny asked. "Ben really didn't want us to call them to help last night. Is it safe for us to be here?"

"I'm with Danny on this," Sam added. "I'd like the chance to explore a vampire's castle as much as any goth, but we're in a completely different world now. The only way we can get home is when they decide to send us back."

"We've been here before," Gwen told them. "If they were going to do something to us, they would have a long time ago. I'm pretty sure that this is one of the safest places for us to be right now."

They had been given a set of rooms on the third floor and had gathered in Gwen's for the time being. Sam stood by the window, occasionally glancing out at the foreign landscape. Despite Gwen's assurance, she and Danny both had their doubts about the safety of their location. A knock at the door interrupted their conversation, followed by a brief pause before it swung open.

"I trust you are all comfortable?" Lothan asked as he entered.

"Where's Ben?" Gwen asked in return.

"He has retired to his room," he replied. "His discussion with Karian has given him much to think about. I would guess that he does not wish to be disturbed." He crossed the room, grabbing the chair by the desk on the way. As he set it down and lowered himself to sit, he continued. "As I am sure none of you have been before the Council of Evemyst before, I thought it best that I explain how this is going to work before it begins."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N**: I meant to mention in a note in the last chapter, but I completely forgot to add it when I updated this. There's a reason why Tucker was excluded from this trip. It was established earlier in the series that technology doesn't work in Zalyndrya. Given his fondness for all things electronic, I couldn't drop him in there and have him realize none of his gadgets were working without him freaking out about it. I felt that it would take away from the story and plot development if that were to happy. So, I apologize to the Tucker fans out there, but I couldn't justify him being there.

**Chapter Fifteen**

The setup of the Great Hall was reminiscent of a courtroom. At the front, a semi-circular table was occupied by eight elves, four on either side of Lalasa and Lothan Konistav, who sat in the middle. Only one of their advisors stood behind them, his face shrouded by the shadows of his violet, hooded robes.

The other advisor sat behind a long railing that separated the front of the room from the rows of chairs. Around her, the other seats on the right side of the aisle were filled with elves who had come to see justice. As the five teenagers entered the Hall, she turned and fixed them with a hard stare before returning her attention to the elf beside her.

"Why isn't she up there with the other guy?" Kevin asked Gwen, leaning close to keep his voice quiet for once. "Doesn't she work for them or something?"

"Think about it," Ben answered for her. "Abigalia was her daughter. They probably figured that she should sit this out."

"Her advice wouldn't exactly be impartial," Gwen added.

Danny and Sam tried not to stare. At first glance, the elves seemed like slender humans, but closer examination showed them to be anything but. Their faces were just a little too angular, with finely chiseled features, high cheekbones, and almond shaped eyes. The tips of their ears tapered to a point, only slightly more pronounced than the ones of the woman who had brought them to this world.

"Are they really...?" Danny asked and he and Sam exchanged a glance.

"Go ask 'em for cookies and find out," Kevin replied with a smirk. An elbow to the ribs from Gwen stole his humor and he focused his attention elsewhere. "There's Ghilhil." He nodded to where the Magister was sitting.

They followed his gaze and Sam made a mental note to renew her campaign against frog dissection as soon as school started again. The alien was clad in armor similar to that of the Royal Guard, although any insignias to show affiliation were absent. As they filed into the row of chairs behind him, he turned his head to regard them. He seemed about to say something, but the voice of their hostess carried through the room instead.

"If everyone is ready, we can begin," Lalasa said. The elf closest to her offered a slight nod and she motioned to the pair of knights at the entrance. "Bring him in."

All eyes were focused on the back of the room as Karian was escorted inside. His hands were bound behind his back, but no one was foolish enough to think they would keep him restrained. His gaze was focused on the front of the room, but he didn't seem to be looking at anyone in particular. He walked through the small break in the railing, stopping at the small podium facing the Council.

"Karian Silver," the robed figure behind the Konistavs announced. "Gypsy born of the Silver Tiger Clan, raised among the Crimson Fox, current resident of Earth, and agent of the inter-realm peace-keepers known as the Plumbers. Is this information accurate."

"It is," he confirmed.

"Were you given orders regarding the elf Abigalia Owlwhisper?" the advisor asked.

"Yes."

"And what were those orders?"

"I was to capture her alive and return her to Zalyndrya to stand trial for her crimes." He paused for a moment and then continued before another question could be spoken. "I did not follow those orders. When I confronted her, I took her life instead."

"Would you care to tell us why?"

"The reason does not matter at this time," Lalasa interrupted. "We have established his actions and now we must determine if her crimes would have been cause for her execution." She glanced down at the sheet of parchment on the table in front of her and read from it aloud. "Abigalia was wanted for crimes in Evemyst, including theft, assault, attempted murder of a member of the Council, and murder of a Peacekeeper of Evemyst." Glancing up, she addressed Karian when she spoke again. "Would you recount what you know of her actions on Earth?"

"We discovered that she was working with two dishonorable men of that world," he replied. "Together, they were responsible for the injuries to at least two humans who had not yet reach adulthood. In addition to that, she summoned demons on more than one occasion in attempt to kill both myself and my associates. She nearly killed one of us with a pair of arrows shortly before her death."

"Let it be noted that the final victim mentioned received life-saving treatment by Cassandra Konistav Talbot at the scene of the incident and was fully healed upon arrival here tonight," Lothan added. "I suspect that there are, perhaps, scars to show his injuries."

"That will not be necessary," the elf beside him stated. "We will discuss the matter and return shortly with our judgment."

"That's it?" Sam asked quietly as she watched them depart through a door at the right of their table with their hosts and the single advisor.

"I don't like this," Gwen agreed. "Lothan said that their idea of justice is different than ours, but I thought there would be more to it than this."

"He also said that Karian isn't the only one on trial," Danny reminded.

"It doesn't seem fair to put a dead person on trial, though," Sam countered. "She can't defend herself, so basically, everyone just has to take his word for it."

Their discussion was cut short as the door opened again and the Council returned. Ben and Gwen exchanged a glance, neither of them confident that this could possibly end well considering how brief the elves' absence had been. When the group had been seated, Lalasa unrolled a sheet of parchment and read the decision.

"After listening to the truthful recollection of Abigalia Owlwhisper's actions," she began. Ben held his breath, his attention shifting between Lalasa, Karian, and Abnalia, who was leaning forward in anticipation. "It is the decision of the Council that her crimes were sufficient to warrant an execution under the laws of Evemyst. Therefore, it has been decided that her death was justified and no further action will be pursued by the Nation of Evemyst against Karian Silver."

Her words were met by a brief silence before murmurings began to sweep through the hall. The Guards cut the rope that bound Karian's wrists and he glanced over his shoulder at Ben. He offered a small smile before turning to face the Council once more.

"So be it," Lalasa stated as she set the parchment down. "If there is no one else to challenge his freedom, then he will be released immediately."

"I challenge," Abnalia said, rising gracefully from her chair.

"Are you serious?" Ben asked, standing before he could stop himself. "They just said he was justified."

"By Zalyndryan Law," Abnalia said evenly, "I have the right to challenge the accused to settle the matter of my daughter's death."

"Challenge?" Ben demanded. "What kind of challenge?"

"Sit down, Ben," Magister Ghilhil ordered.

"We will uphold the law," Lothan declared, effectively ending the debate. Turning to Abnalia, he continued. "As the challenger, you have the right to name the method."

"I choose combat," she replied. "The weapon will be magic and the contest will go until one of us meets the Ancestors."

"Very well," he said with a nod before looking at Karian. "Choose the location."

"I choose the desert surrounding my current residence," he replied. "On Earth."

"Now we can argue," the Magister stated as he stood as well. "With all due respect, we can not allow lethal combat to take place in a place under our jurisdiction."

"I understand your concerns," Lalasa conceded. "However, the property in question is owned by a citizen of Zalyndrya and is far enough away from a populated area to prevent injury to any of Earth's residents. Your objection will be noted, but the challenge will be carried out at the designated location."

"This is bullshit," Kevin said flatly.

"You will watch your tone or you will be escorted from this hall," Lothan warned.

"Well, it is," he pressed. "You're gonna let them try to kill each other just to see who's right?"

"It's not going to prove anything," Danny agreed. "All it's going to prove is that one of them is going to get killed."

"It is my right," Abnalia insisted, glaring at them.

"Indeed," Lalasa stated. "The contest will take place in one week's time and both combatants will be given the opportunity to select one item of arcane nature from the Archives. This decision is final."

*****

Ben shoved the few items he had brought with him into the small bag on his bed. He heard the knock at the door, but ignored it for the moment. When the sound came again, he quickly zipped the pack closed and crossed the room. His fingers curled around the doorknob as he turned it and he pulled the barrier open to regard his visitor.

"May I enter?" Karian asked.

"I guess," he replied, stepping to the side. Once Karian was inside the room, Ben closed the door and turned to face him. "You knew that was going to happen, didn't you?"

"I anticipated it," he admitted. "But I didn't know for certain." He paused for a moment, lowering his gaze. "I spoke with Magister Ghilhil. He has confiscated my badge until his investigation is complete. I've been suspended until further notice." When Ben didn't reply, he looked up again. "About what I said earlier..."

"Don't," he interrupted.

"Ben, please, just hear me out." His eyes pleaded with him and he relaxed slightly when Ben gave a reluctant nod. "I'm sorry if my words hurt you. I thought you knew. Truly I did. If I knew that it would change things..."

"Then what?" Ben demanded. "You wouldn't have told me?"

"Then I wouldn't have allowed things to happen as they have between us," he stated. "I knew how you felt about people getting hurt, but by the time I had stopped to think about it, it was already too late."

As he spoke, he had gradually moved closer and his voice had lowered to the point where the final words were barely a whisper. They stared at each other for the span of a few heartbeats before Ben opened his mouth to reply. Before he could voice his thoughts, he felt Karian's lips press against his.

The kiss was nothing like the gentle embrace they had shared in the past. It was fierce and primal, but laced with an underlying need of something more than passion. His brain had momentarily shut off as he felt himself pressed against the wall and the significance of the brief, but sharp pain on his lower lip escaped him for a moment. When the realization struck, his eyes snapped open and he lifted his hands to push the vampire away.

Karian looked as startled as he was and the glowing eyes quickly faded to their normal hue. Ben wiped the trickle of blood from his mouth and looked down at his hand. When he looked up again, he shook his head and moved past him to collect his bag from the bed.

"Ben," Karian began quietly. "I didn't mean to."

"I know," he replied, his voice equally soft. He turned around to face him and shook his head again. "And I think I knew all along. I was just trying to convince myself that you couldn't be the same person that has to hurt people to survive. But as long as you keep killing, then whatever there is between us is over."

*****

"So I guess you won't have time to hang out when we get back," Danny ventured.

"We're going to have to start heading back to Bellwood right away," Gwen replied as she finished packing. "We only have a week before we have to be there."

"We're only staying in Amity Park long enough to pick up our things from the bus," Ben said from the doorway. "I'm going to talk to Lalasa and see if she'll send us home."

"What about the bus?" Kevin asked. "She can't transport it with all the tech we threw into it and I ain't leavin' it in the middle of nowhere."

"Karian can drive it home," Ben replied.

Gwen looked up and turned to face him, his tone catching her off guard. His expression was even more concerning and as she walked over to him, she noticed the dark smudge on his mouth.

"Ben, you're bleeding," she observed. "What happened?"

"It's nothing," he stated, wiping his face. "I'm fine, Gwen. Right now, I just want to get home. Are you almost ready?"

She gave a slight nod, which was all the answer he needed, and watched him depart. Concern was etched on her features as she turned around to face the others again. Kevin was staring at the doorway, his expression locked in a scowl. Gwen knew that look. It meant that he was about to do something to make her question his common sense.

"Kevin," she began, forcing her voice to remain calm. "Don't."

"Relax," he replied with a smirk that was anything but reassuring. "I'm just gonna talk to him."

Only a moment after he left, the sounds of something shattering and wood splintering drifted into the room from the corridor. Gwen rushed out of the room, followed by Danny and Sam, and stopped to survey the scene before her.

Grey stone covered Kevin's form and he had Karian pinned to the floor as he let punch after punch fall upon the smaller man. The vampire seemed to recover quickly and used his opponent's weight to throw the teenager off of him. The reprieve didn't last long, though. The pair continued to grapple, falling to the floor again as they both tried to gain an advantage over the other.

"This was bound to happen sooner or later," Lothan said as he stopped behind the trio of onlookers.

"Well, I'm stopping it," Gwen decided as she focused her mana into a position to force the two apart.

"Let them get it out of their system," he advised, resting a hand on her shoulder. He watched the combatants to roll across the floor, snarling and swearing as they exchanged blows. "Besides, this is much more entertaining than having to cater to my other house guests."

"But, they're going to really hurt each other," she protested.

"Do not be so sure," he said. "They almost seem evenly matched. This should be interesting. Care to place a wager on who will win?"

"You're going to bet on them?" Sam asked, shocked.

"Do you have a better suggestion that does not involve breaking this up right now?" he countered with a grin. When she didn't offer an immediate response, he returned his attention to the fight, wincing as another decorative table was smashed in the process. "I suspect that this has been brewing for quite some time."

Kevin and Karian continued their brawl, apparently oblivious to their audience. It wasn't until the stone covering on Kevin's skin began to crumble in a few places that Lothan finally stepped forward. Glancing at Gwen, he motioned for her to approach as well.

"Enough," he commanded.

He quickly reached down and grabbed Karian, who was on top at the moment, by the arms and hauled him off of his opponent. Once they were clear, Gwen sent a coil of mana forward to restrain Kevin as soon as he had managed to stand up. Both of them struggled to break free, unwilling to give up the fight, but Gwen and Lothan held them firmly in place.

Beneath the crumbling stone, Kevin's left eye was swollen shut and he sported numerous bruises in various other places. Karian hadn't fared much better. Both his shattered cheekbone and a broken nose were slowly trying to heal. They didn't even seem to notice their wounds as they continued to glare at each other.

"We are going to release you," Lothan began once they had stopped struggling. "However, if either of you attempt to continue this nonsense, then you will both be spending the rest of the night in the dungeons. Do I make myself clear?"

"Fine," Kevin reluctantly conceded as Karain gave a curt nod.

"Good," he stated. "Gwen, let him go." He released his hold on the younger vampire as Gwen complied and then stepped back a few paces. "I am not interested in who started this or what it was about. As I understand it, you were preparing to depart soon, so I suggest you finish making any necessary preparations." Glancing at Kevin, he shook his head slightly. "You may want to put some ice on those when you return home. I will not have our healers waste their energy on self-inflicted injuries."

*****

The mood was somber outside of the bus. Lalasa stood several yards away to at least give the impression that they would be able to hold a private conversation. Kevin leaned against the vehicle while Ben and Gwen said their goodbyes to Danny and Sam.

"Thanks for your help," Danny began. "I'm not sure if we would have pulled it off without you."

"I can't help but think that it might not have happened if we weren't here," Ben admitted.

"Either way, I appreciate it," he told them. "Shame you can't stay longer."

"Well, if you guys are ever in Bellwood, give us a call," Gwen offered with a strained smile. "What are you going to tell your parents? I don't think they expected you to be out most of the night."

"I'll figure something out," Danny assured her with a sigh.

"Alright, we get it," Kevin interrupted. "Great knowing you and all that crap. Can we go now?"

"We really should get home too," Sam agreed.

"Whenever you are ready," Lalasa said as she approached, picking up on the cue. Glancing at Danny and Sam, she continued. "Best of luck to you both. Perhaps you could visit another time under more positive circumstances."

"Maybe," Danny said, mildly uncomfortable with the suggestion.

With one last glance at the trio of Plumbers and their escort, he and Sam turned and headed for home.

* * *

**A/N:** At this point in the story, the crossover portion is over. The remaining chapters will focus on advancing the overall storyline of the Encounters Series.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Ben sat on the edge of his bed, absently clicking through channels as he tried not to think about what had happened. One week had passed since their return to Bellwood and while he still went on regular patrols, he'd made it clear that he wasn't ready to talk about the events of the recent road trip. He glanced up when his door opened, pressing the button on the remote to silence the television.

"Is it that time already?" he asked as Gwen and Kevin entered.

"No patrol tonight," Kevin replied.

"Ben," Gwen began cautiously. "You do remember what tonight is, right?"

"Oh," he said, looking down. "I'm not going."

"The Magister made it pretty clear that we had to," she reminded.

"I can't, Gwen," he told her, shaking his head. "No matter who wins, someone else is going to die. If he wins, then he has to kill someone again and if he loses, then she's going to kill him. I can't be a part of that."

"You're gonna have to get over it," Kevin stated.

"I will, eventually." He looked up again. "If you guys have to be there, then you should go. I'm going to call it an early night and do a double patrol tomorrow."

Gwen seemed as if she was going to press the issue, but Kevin nodded and turned to leave the room. She watched her cousin for another moment before following the elder teen into the hall. Ben waited until he heard the sound of the familiar engine and then lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

*****

The scattered stars and waning half-moon shed enough light to illuminate the desert surrounding the house. Karian toyed with the small stone in his hand as he waited for the others to arrive. He was disappointed, but not surprised, when Kevin and Gwen stepped out of the vehicle without Ben and he quickly turned his head to observe the rest of the spectators.

Lothan and Lalasa were engaged in conversation with Magister Ghilhil, while Abnalia sat off to the side, taking the opportunity to study the leather-bound book on her lap. With the arrival of the two Plumbers, they were ready to begin. Stepping away from her husband and the Magister, Lalasa addressed the group.

"The rules are as follows," she began. "The only weapons permitted will be of magical origin. You may use the landscape to your advantage if possible. The duel will end when the victor ends the life of his or her opponent." Retreating a few steps, she nodded to them. "Begin."

As soon as she had finished speaking, a bolt of lightning arced bridged the distance between Abnalia and Karian, turning the sand to glass as he rolled out of the way. He landed in a crouch, his eyes glowing as he watched her launch another spell. The small, bright projectiles followed him this time, knocking him back a few feet and leaving spots at the edge of his vision.

"Does he even know any of that crap?" Kevin asked, his attention focused on the pair.

"I've never seen him use it," Gwen replied, frowning.

"He's screwed."

His blunt assessment appeared to be correct. Another bolt of lightning narrowly missed its target, followed by a sphere of flame. Abnalia's constant attacks kept the vampire on the defensive, but every time he dodged one of her spells, he edged closer to her. The next volley of white missiles slowed his progress, causing a few wisps of smoke to rise from the front of his shirt.

Staggering to his feet, he felt the skin on his chest trying to heal the damage from the last strike. It occurred to him that if things continued along their current course, then his existence would come to a very quick and very painful end. His initial strategy was to allow her to exhaust her mental supply of spells, but it seemed like that wasn't about to happen anytime soon. As another ball of flame seared the air, he made his move.

He dropped back into a crouch, grabbing a handful of sand as he waited for it to grow closer, and then pushed himself up from the ground. Using the glare of the fire to shield his movements, he leapt over the burning sphere, keeping his limbs tucked close to his body to avoid the deadly glow. His hand opened as soon as he landed, sending a spray of sand at the elf.

As he had expected, the grains stopped a few inches from her body, deflected by a protective barrier. The test had distracted her, though, breaking her concentration for a brief moment. It was all the time he needed to throw the stone concealed in his other hand. The impact caused a shower of sparks as the properties of the item countered her enchantments and he covered his eyes as the rock exploded into a thousand tiny fragments.

When he lowered his arm, he saw Abnalia on the ground, trying to force herself into a sitting position. Karian seized the opportunity and lunged, knocking her back down into the sand. She tried to break free, but he had managed to pull her to her knees as he crouched behind her, forcing her arms behind her back. A gasp of pain escaped her lips as exerted a little more force and she heard the low growl rumbling in his chest.

"Yield," he snarled, his fangs barely an inch from her throat.

The demand caught her off guard. She had expected him to waste no time in finishing the duel, but he seemed reluctant to take her life. At first, she was tempted to comply, but anger forced the option down.

"No," she spat.

"Now you want to be stubborn about it?" he asked.

"The terms were clear," she stated. "Do it."

"Lord and Lady Konistav," Karian called. "I wish to end the duel. Abnalia is defeated."

"You are aware of the terms," Lothan countered. "And you are aware of the consequences should you fail to abide by them."

"I will not take her life."

"I would have shown you the same mercy," the elf told him quietly, her temper cooling.

"I know," he said as the glow faded from his eyes. "I would not have expected you to. There has been enough death already. Has there not?"

Abnalia closed her eyes, wincing against the pain as she considered his words. Gwen glanced up at Kevin, his attention still focused on them as the observers waited to see what would happen next. After a few tense moments, the elf finally looked up and nodded.

"It is over," she whispered.

Karian loosened his grip and rose to his feet. Taking a few steps back, he watched her warily, preparing for another attack should she change her mind. Instead, the elf lifted a hand to massage her shoulder and slowly stood as well.

"Abnalia," Lalasa began as she joined them, her words loud enough to be heard by all. "You set the parameters. The law states that if Karian fails to adhere, then he will be either executed or exiled."

"If I may," the elf replied. "I would recommend exile. As he has stated, there has been enough death."

"Time to go," Kevin said, finally turning away.

"But…" Gwen started to protest.

"We were supposed to watch," he interrupted. "We watched and now it's over. Time to go."

Gwen glanced between him and the small gathering before settling her gaze on him again. As he began to walk away, she followed. She gave another look at them as she opened the passenger door to his car, but when he started the engine, she slid into the seat and pulled out her cell phone.

*****

Ben looked down at the caller-ID and pressed the button to reject the call. While he usually wouldn't ignore a call from his cousin, he had a feeling that she was calling with the results of the battle and at the moment, he didn't really want to know. If it was important, she would call back. Setting the device on the nightstand, he stood and moved the curtains aside to look out the window.

"I never thought you would be the type to avoid things," a voice said from behind him.

He spun around, his hand instantly reaching for the Omnitrix before he recognized the speaker. His surprise melted into irritation as he let his arm fall back to his side. Lothan stood on the opposite side of the room, leaning against the wall, and arched a brow at the reaction.

"How did you get in?" Ben demanded.

"I knocked," he replied. "Your parents were kind enough to grant me entry."

"I don't think my parents would've just let you up here without asking questions."

"I asked nicely," Lothan replied with a grin.

"What do you want?"

"I did not see you at the duel tonight," he remarked. "Do you want to know who won?"

"Not really." Ben sighed and moved back to the bed before sinking down to sit.

"Abnalia has returned to Zalyndrya," the vampire told him, ignoring his answer.

"What?" He looked up, shocked by the news that he wasn't prepared to hear. He swallowed hard, trying to force the words out. "Then Karian… He's…" He couldn't bring himself to say it, but Lothan seemed unwilling to finish the sentence for him. Looking down, he made another attempt at speech, his voice barely a whisper. "Was it quick?"

"He fought well," Lothan told him. "It was a clever move to select a location on Earth. Magic is not as strong here as it is in Zalyndrya. Abnalia's spells were not nearly as effective as they could have been. Karian was able to withstand attacks that could have destroyed him in our homeland. That is probably why he was able to defeat her."

It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when they did, Ben slowly lifted his gaze to regard the visitor. Lothan flashed an amused grin as the teenager's expression shifted from grief to confusion to hope. Giving him a moment to work through his thoughts, Lothan turned his head to examine the décor of the room, taking in the details with a sweeping glance.

"You mean he's still alive?" Ben asked.

"As alive as he was when you last spoke with him," he confirmed before he paused, as if considering something. "If you still care about him, then why did you refuse to attend tonight?" When he didn't receive a reply, he returned his gaze to him. "Do his past indiscretions justify your need to turn your back on him?"

"He killed people."

"So have I," he countered. "And you have yet to ask me to leave."

"That never surprised me," Ben said. "You made it pretty obvious from the beginning that you didn't have a problem doing that. I just never really thought that Karian would do that and not even regret it."

"He is a vampire, not a kitten," Lothan pointed out. "Have I ever told you the story of the assassin and the tavern mistress?"

"You never really told me anything," he replied, trying to figure out how the question was relevant. "I talked to Lalasa more than I talked to you."

"Well, she is better at this sort of thing," he admitted. A few steps brought him to the chair at the desk and he lowered himself to sit. "Many years ago, there was a tavern mistress who was rumored to be a key player in a rebellion. Since there are those who consider rumor to be fact, naturally, someone wanted her dead. So, they paid an assassin to track her down and eliminate her. Now, he had made a name for himself in the business and had never failed to capture his mark.

"When he found her, he followed her, planning for an easy kill," he continued. "However, when he moved to strike, he learned that she had many protective enchantments that prevented him from even touching her. He devised a plan to earn her trust. If she believed he was no threat, then she would no longer see the need to keep those enchantments in place when he was around. It makes sense, does it not?"

"I guess," Ben reluctantly agreed, obviously not liking where this was headed.

"The assassin took a job at the tavern. They were understaffed due to the untimely death of one of the barmaids and he had offered his services on one of their busier evenings. After a while, his plan started to work. The tavern mistress began to consider him a friend and they would spend many nights at the bar enjoying each other's company after the business closed for the night.

"It is funny how plans change," Lothan said with a dramatic sigh. "The more time they spent together, the less he wanted to kill her. When she left to purchase supplies from the city near the ocean, the assassin decided to abandon his earlier ambitions. He realized that he truly enjoyed being around her and it was only a matter of time before he realized he was in love. He planned to speak with her about it upon her return three days later.

"When the day of her arrival finally came, the assassin waited until nightfall to seek her out. The tavern was closed and he found her sitting at the bar with a glass of their strongest ale. He knew immediately that something was wrong, but when he approached, she turned and struck him. Apparently, she had learned the truth during her journey and decided to get drunk while waiting for him to show up that night. He tried to tell her how he felt, and that he had changed, but she would hear none of it. Only later did he realize that in order for her to strike him, she would have had to dismiss her protection."

"So, what happened?" Ben asked. He had a feeling that there was more to it than what he was hearing, but so far, he hadn't been able to find the point to the tale.

"He gave her a few days to calm down," he replied. "When he returned, she barely spoke to him, but he was determined to prove that he was not the same man who had arrived with the intention of killing her. Over time, she warmed to him again and decided to give him another chance. The following summer, they were married." Leaning back in the chair, he regarded the teenager for a few moments before speaking again. "The point is that people can change if they have a reason to do so. Six months ago, Karian would have killed Abnalia without hesitation. He spared her life tonight because he knew you would never forgive him if he had taken it."

"You're saying I should give him another chance?" Ben asked, frowning.

"I am not saying one way or the other," Lothan replied with a shrug. "You are young, Ben. Yet you have already shouldered more responsibility than most of the people twice your age. There is no rule stating that you have to make a commitment to one person at this stage of your life, but if you know who you want, you may want to let him know that you would at least consider him in the future."

"I don't know if I can," he admitted. "I mean, even if he wanted to stop killing people, I don't think he can. He told me that it's something he has to do."

"We can feed without killing," Lothan said. "You are well aware of this. Most of the deaths he had caused were accidental. It takes time to learn when to stop and how much we can take without killing someone."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" he asked suddenly. "I never saw you as the caring type."

"I suppose it is some feeling of responsibility." Another shrug accompanied the answer. "After all, Karian would not be what he is if I had not made him that way. It seems there are a few of those annoying little human tendencies that simply refuse to die." Rising from the chair, he continued. "Think on what I told you and do what you will, but keep something in mind."

"What's that?"

"He is first and foremost a gypsy," he explained. "He will only remain in one place as long as he has a reason to. If you decide to at least try to establish a friendship with him, then I caution you to let him know before you no longer have the chance."

"And he only stayed near Bellwood because of me," Ben said with a sigh. He mentally recalled the story he had been told and looked up again. "That assassin you were talking about. It was you, wasn't it?"

"Indeed," Lothan confirmed with a grin. "Although I hope you understand that if you repeat that to anyone, I will have to kill you."

"Can't let anyone else know that you actually have a heart…" he remarked.

"Something along those lines." He chuckled softly as he turned to depart. "Farewell, Ben."

*****

"You sure you don't wanna go check on him?" Kevin asked as he pulled up in front of Gwen's house.

"I think we need to give him some time," she replied. "Ben's tough. He can get through this. And when he wants to talk about it, we'll listen. Until then, we should give him his space."

"I'm going over there tomorrow," he stated. "Even if he ain't gonna talk about it, we need to make sure he stays on top of his game." He placed the car in park and looked over at her. "And if that asshole comes near him again, I'm taking him down."

"No, you're not," she said firmly.

"Gwen, ever since that bunch came from their world, we've had nothing but trouble. I'm done with them."

"You still have bruises from the last time you tried to fight him," she pointed out.

"I can take him."

"I didn't say that you couldn't. I'm saying that you shouldn't."

"And why not?" he demanded. "Look at all the crap they've caused. Look at how many people have died since they got here. Yeah, most of 'em are goin' home, but Karian's staying. Ben just wants to trust everyone and then he's surprised when someone gets hurt. It's gotta stop."

"And taking down his ex-boyfriend is going to solve all of our problems?" She sighed and shook her head slightly. "We're still going to have other aliens to fight. I understand how you feel, believe me I do, but this isn't the answer."

"It'll sure as hell make me feel better."

"But think about Ben for a minute," she said. "How do you think he'll feel when he finds out?"

"Who says he's gonna find out?" The look she shot him stole some of his anger and he slowly relaxed. "Fine, have it your way. I'll leave him alone as long as he stays out of my way. If he starts somethin' though, I ain't holdin' back. Ben will just have to get over it."

Gwen let the argument drop for the time being and pushed open the door. As soon as she was out of the car and the door was closed again, the tires squealed against the pavement. She stepped back as the vehicle sped away, watching until it turned the corner before heading up the sidewalk towards her house. A soft sigh passed through her lips as she considered the debate and all she could do was hope that Kevin was being honest with her.


	17. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

The battered RV ambled up the service road as the last few rays of dying sunlight cast a red haze over the desert. After a moment, the house came into view, along with the black tour bus parked on the side. The driver parked behind the obviously newer, and larger, vehicle and waited for the sun to dip below the horizon.

Taking a deep breath, he exited the RV, straightening his red floral shirt. As he began to ascend the stairs, the front door opened and he stopped, trying to read the expression on the man's face. Setting a disarming smile onto his own features, he moved back off of the stairs.

"Sorry to just drop in on you like this," he began, noticing that the resident didn't even blink at they regarded each other. "I was wondering if I could use your bathroom."

"I would imagine that your vehicle is equipped with one," Karian replied, frowning.

"It is," he confirmed. "But it's been acting up lately and I'm still a little ways from town. I'll only be a minute."

"I see." The vampire studied him for another moment before nodding once. "Up the stairs at the end of the hall."

"Thanks a lot."

Karian offered another nod in response as he watched the old man enter the house. Turning again, he resumed his previous course towards the bus, pausing long enough to enter the security code on the panel. Once the door was open, he returned to the house and lifted one of the many boxes from the floor.

As he carried the package to the bus, he tried to remind himself that he was taking the correct path for once. This is what made the most sense. He climbed the stairs and set the box down on top of one of the others that he had loaded the previous night before exiting the vehicle and heading back towards his home.

"Moving in or moving out?" the stranger asked as they both walked into the living room from opposite sides.

"Out," he replied, bending to grab another box.

"Where you heading to?"

"I've been offered a job close to Los Angeles," he replied cautiously.

He straightened, leaving the box in place as he turned to regard the visitor. The man offered another smile and he relaxed slightly. Two weeks had passed since the duel and no one else had stopped by the house since that night. Karian had only spoken to his sister in the time between and conversation was a welcome distraction.

"Change of scenery?" the man asked.

"The gods know I need it," he said with a humorless laugh. "Let's just say it's time to move on. There doesn't seem to be anything left for me here." Shaking his head slightly, he turned back towards the pile of boxes. "Where are you headed, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Not at all," the stranger replied. "I'm heading back to Bellwood to visit my grandkids. They've been away on a road trip all summer." Karian tensed as he heard those words, pausing for a moment as the man continued. "I remember when I took them on the road years ago. Just me, the grandkids, and the Rustbucket."

"Max Tennyson," he said, his voice almost a growl as he turned to face his guest. "I should have realized who you are from the moment you arrived. Ben spoke of you often enough. I assume you're here because of what happened?" Without waiting for an answer, he turned away again. "You're wasting your time. He decided that things wouldn't work out between us. There is nothing else to discuss."

"I'm not here about Ben," Max replied. "But, now that you mention it, I do have a something to say on that subject."

"And this is where you warn me to stay away from him."

"Ben can take care of himself," he stated. "He can date whoever he wants to. The problem isn't that you're not human. You're too old for him."

"What?" Karian stared at him, hardly believing that the biggest objection was the age difference.

"You're in your twenties and he's only sixteen," Max continued. "If you were human, that kind of thing could put you in jail."

"We haven't shared a bed," he pointed out. "We were only together for a couple of months. Besides, even if he had asked, which he didn't mind you, I would have insisted that we wait until he was a little older." Shaking his head, he leaned back against the wall and folded his arms over his chest. "It doesn't matter now anyway. Why are you really here?"

"Magister Ghilihl sent me." Max watched the vampire's defensive expression wilt into concern and then continued. "He finished his report on the incidents in Amity Park and Wisconsin. He came up with a couple of options."

"Do I want to know what they are?"

"It'd be in your best interests," he informed him. "He interviewed several people before making his decision and most of them had good things to say about you. After reading his report, I was surprised that the person he wrote about could be the same one who killed a couple of people a few weeks back."

"You do realize what I am, do you not?" Karian asked, arching a brow.

"I wouldn't have believed it unless I hadn't been told by reliable sources," he conceded. "I certainly wouldn't expect a vampire to let a stranger in to use the bathroom and then let them leave in one piece."

"You haven't tried to leave yet."

"If you were going to do something stupid, you would have by now."

"I suppose you have a point."

"You've got potential," Max told him. "Ben saw that too. If you could learn how to control that temper of yours, then you just might be able to make a decent Plumber out of yourself." Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a circular disk and held it out. "You're going to be on probation for a while and you'll be reporting to me for the next six months."

Karian stared at him for a moment before his eyes slowly drifted down to the item. He took the badge and turned it over in his hand. His brow furrowed in confusion as lifted his gaze to meet Max's.

"You're off the hook for now," Max explained. "You already went through a trial and Ghilhil is going to respect their verdict. I'm willing to bet that your refusal to kill Abnalia also influenced his decision."

"Do I have a choice in this?" he asked, frowning.

"I thought you'd jump at the chance to get your badge back," Max remarked.

"It's complicated."

"Look, you don't have to work with Ben," he said. "I'm training a team; mostly Plumbers' kids and you can work with us. We'll still be working alongside him, but you'll be reporting to me directly."

"May I have some time to think about it?" Karian asked.

"I don't think that'd hurt anything," he agreed. "Just keep in mind that if you turn this down, we'll still have to keep an eye on you."

"I'll let you know in a few days, then."

"That's fine. Just use your badge to contact me."

Karian nodded and glanced down at the disk again. He wanted to ask so many things, but it seemed like the wrong time. As much as Ben had spoken of the man, Karian felt that he could trust Max to be honest, but it felt wrong to bring up personal subjects with him; especially when those subjects involved the older Plumber's grandson. Instead, when he looked up, he managed a strained smile.

"Thank you," he said. "I will let you know what I decide."

***

An hour had passed since his guest had departed, and Karian had returned to his preparations. Most of his possessions were in neatly-stacked boxes in various parts of the living room with a few of them already within the bus. The green and black badge was on the table next to a manila folder and he did his best to ignore it. Every time he passed by with another box, his eyes would drift over to it for a brief moment.

His attention abruptly settled on the door as he heard footsteps on the front porch and he lowered the box to the floor, tensing. He had left the entrance open after his last trip out to the bus and he was afforded a clear view of the newest visitor. Blinking once, he took a step forward, trying to decide if his eyes were deceiving him.

"Ben?" he greeted cautiously. When the teenager stopped in the doorway, Karian hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk," Ben stated.

"What is there to talk about?" he asked. "You made your position perfectly clear."

"You lied to me, Karian." He crossed the threshold and approached, stopping a few feet away. "You told me in the beginning that you didn't hurt people and that you survived on blood from your 'suppliers'. You never mentioned-"

"That's why you've come?" he interrupted, an edge of anger in his voice. "You avoid me for three weeks and now you want to berate me over something else?" He shook his head and turned to reach for the box. "Go home, Ben."

"That's not the only reason I'm here," he retorted before he noticed the packages. "Wait, are you leaving?"

"I've been offered a job in Los Angeles."

"I thought you weren't allowed there."

"Things have changed," he said evenly.

"Things don't just change that much," Ben countered. "A few months ago, they wouldn't even let you in to see your sister when she was pregnant. Now, they've just changed their minds?"

"Why do you even care?" he demanded, dropping the box again as he rounded on him.

"Because maybe I don't want you to leave."

"It's a little late for that," Karian said, although his tone lacked the previous fire. "You made your decision and I've made mine." He walked over to the table and lifted the Plumber's badge before tossing it to him. "Give this back to your grandfather when you see him next."

"They gave you your badge back?" He caught the item easily and looked at it for a moment before returning his attention to him. "And you're just going to walk away? I thought this was what you wanted."

"Things have changed," he repeated.

"I guess so."

"What do you want from me?" Karian demanded.

"I want you to stop killing people and lying to me about it, for starters," Ben replied.

"Because it would be so much better for you to know every time someone dies by my hand?" he asked incredulously.

"Or you could just stop it all together."

"You and I both know that isn't possible."

"And why not?" Ben challenged. "You can feed without killing someone. You've done it before, remember? When you and I-"

"Enough," he interrupted again. "Yes, it's possible, but accidents happen. Sometimes, things go wrong and then someone dies. Can you honestly tell me that you would look at me the same if that happened again? Can you even look at me now the way you used to?"

"I want to." He fell silent for a moment and then his expression brightened as an idea came to mind. "What if we can find a way to change you back?"

"Impossible," Karian stated. "There is no 'changing back'. Lady Konistav has been researching the same thing for centuries. This is what I am and there is no going back." He took a few steps towards him as he continued. "I know you want to save as many people as you can. You're a hero and you always will be, but sometimes things are a certain way and there's nothing we can do about it. Not even you."

"What good is being a hero if I can't save someone I care about?"

"You've already saved me, Ben," he said with a small smile, resting a hand on the teenager's shoulder. "You gave me back hope. I can look to the future again instead of wallowing in the past. I can accept the things that have happened and do my best to learn from them. I have you to thank for that."

"Then why are you leaving?"

He considered the question for a moment as he let his hand fall back to his side. Casting a glance around the interior of the house, he thought of everything that had happened since he had returned to Earth before the start of the summer. There were more good memories from that brief period of time than throughout most of his life. Finally, he settled his gaze on Ben again and his shoulders lifted in a shrug.

"It's time to move on," he replied. "As I mentioned, I've been offered a job in the city. I think it would be best if I accepted."

"Can't you do both?" Ben asked.

"You're not going to just let me leave, are you?"

"If there's a way for me to convince you not to…" He left the sentence hanging and held out the badge. When Karian took the item after a brief moment of hesitation, he smiled. "So, are you going to tell me what the new job is?"

"Does this mean I am forgiven?" he asked in response.

"I don't know," Ben replied with a sigh. "I can't stand here and tell you that I'm okay with you killing people. I don't think that things are ever going to be the same between us after what happened, but I can accept it if I know you're going to do everything you can to keep yourself under control."

"You know that there will always be a chance that-"

"I know," Ben stopped him. "I don't need you to say it out loud. Just promise me that you'll try, alright?"

"You have my word." He turned, crossing the room to the table, and placed the badge on the surface. Lifting the folder, he walked back over to Ben and held it out. "This is the information I received for the job."

Ben took it, flipping it open as he glanced down at the documents. He frowned, confusion crossing his features as he read the entries of crimes and locations. Lifting his gaze to Karian, he tried to figure out how to phrase his questions.

"Are you…" Pausing, he shook his head and tried again. "What is this?"

"My first assignment," Karian told him. "I will be working unofficially for the District Attorney. There are still violent criminals out there and the authorities are overworked as it is. I was planning to relocate to Los Angeles, but I suppose I could split my time between here and there."

"I still don't get how you managed to talk your way back into the city," Ben said, handing the file back.

"I didn't," he replied. "Lord Konistav paid a visit to their associates. You might have noticed that he isn't nearly as diplomatic as his wife."

"He threatened them?"

"Indeed," he confirmed with a grin. "He told them that he could always extend an invitation to the Highbreed and help them in their quest to destroy the Earth."

"Would he do that?"

"The gods only know," he replied. "It wouldn't surprise me."

Ben shuddered at the thought. The last thing he wanted was to have to fight the Highbreed again. The thought of having to fight Lothan too just made the idea that much worse. Pushing the disturbing notion aside, he returned his attention to Karian. The vampire arched a brow, a hint of a grin playing about his lips.

"You can understand that they decided my presence would be preferable to the alternative," he remarked. His humor faded as he cast a glance around at the stacks of boxes. "I should be on my way."

"You're coming back, right?" Ben prompted.

"That depends," he said with a shrug. "Will you help me unpack all of this when I return?"

"As long as you don't kill anyone else between now and then."

"I'll try not to." He walked past the teenager and paused in the doorway to glance back at him. "I will return in a few days. If you need me, all you have to do is call."

Ben nodded and offered a smile. Nothing more needed to be said between them. He couldn't bring himself to let their relationship resume where it had left off, but he could at least try for friendship. If things developed again from there, he wouldn't fight it. Right now, though, he would take it one step at a time.

* * *

**A/N: That concludes this part of the Encounters Series. I have at least two more fics planned. The next one will be a crossover between Alien Force and Buso Renkin. It should be up within the next couple of weeks. I hope you enjoyed the series so far and I'd like to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, and/or added it to favorites. Happy New Year and best wishes for 2010!**


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